2023 specials

The 2023 specials were a number of television stories that were written and produced to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who. Like the 50th anniversary specials, The Last Day, The Night, The Day and The Time of the Doctor, these specials are not considered to be part of a numbered season.

It began a new era of the programme as former showrunner and executive producer Russell T Davies made his return to the role he effectively started. His return was announced on 24 September 2021.

Davies' original era began with the series revival in 2005 with the Ninth Doctor and ended in 2010 with the Tenth Doctor's regeneration in The End of Time, thirteen years before this series. His second era began with the identical Fourteenth Doctor emerging from the Thirteenth Doctor's regeneration in 2022 Centenary Special The Power of the Doctor.

It marked a huge change to business form as production of the show by the BBC became a collaboration with Bad Wolf, which had been acquired by Sony. Furthermore, a deal was struck between the BBC and Disney Branded Television to have Doctor Who streaming on Disney+.

It saw the return of David Tennant to the role of the Doctor, although he would be portraying a new Fourteenth Doctor, rather than returning as his Tenth Doctor role.

Early announcements
In May 2017, it was announced that due to the terms of a deal between BBC Worldwide and SMG Pictures in China, the company had right of first refusal on the purchase for the Chinese market of past and future series of the programme, as well as spin-offs.

In October 2019, it was revealed that due to the show heading to HBO Max, the network had struck a deal for additional series of the programme.

Return of a showrunner
On 29 July 2021, following the announcement of Jodie Whittaker and Chris Chibnall's departure, the BBC noted, "We will announce plans for the new generation of Doctor Who in due course – watch this space!"

The new series and Davies' return were first teased by Piers Wenger when he said an upcoming change for Doctor Who would be "radical" on 25 August.

It was noted in a big reveal by the BBC on 24 September 2021 that Russell T Davies would make his return in the 60th anniversary in 2023 and remain as head writer in "series beyond".

Davies first hinted at this reveal earlier that same day, telling his Instagram followers to watch for "News incoming 3.15pm", in a post which featured artwork of his forehead in front of Gallifrey. Like the preceding series 13 the series was announced as happening before the previous series had even begun broadcast.

Commenting on his return, Davies said: "I'm beyond excited to be back on my favourite show. But we're time-travelling too fast, there's a whole series of Jodie Whittaker's brilliant Doctor for me to enjoy, with my friend and hero Chris Chibnall at the helm — I'm still a viewer for now."

- Russell T Davies

Chibnall himself added: "It's monumentally exciting and fitting that Doctor Who's 60th anniversary will see one of Britain's screenwriting diamonds return home. Russell built the baton that is about to be handed back to him. Doctor Who, the BBC, the screen industry in Wales — and let's be honest everyone in the whole world — have so many reasons to be Very Excited Indeed about what lies ahead."

- Chris Chibnall

Speaking at a press event on 11 October, Wenger said of the decision for Davies to return: "I almost think that I don't need to answer that question. I think bringing back Russell for Doctor Who was one of the least painful decisions I've ever had to make. How will he evolve that show? I mean, he is a man with a vision, for sure. But, you know, we are way off filming. We've got a new series starting at the end of the month, and a whole year of Jodie [Whittaker] to go yet. And lots of adventures ahead for her. And so I think it's just a bit early to say what his vision will be, but it was a very exciting opportunity for the BBC to bring him back."

- Piers Wenger

Speaking at a Q&A at the Oxford Union on 10 December, Steven Moffat said he knew about RTD's future plans for the show, saying: "I’m really curious to see what Russell’s second go-around is like, what he does now. Because being the restless man he is, it won’t be the same as the first time. Don’t think you know what you’re going to get. You don’t. And I know a little bit because we chatted. He wouldn’t be doing this unless he could scare the living shit out of you. So, it will be great."

- Steven Moffat

Speaking to Radio Times on 14 February 2022, while talking about his show "It’s A Sin", Davies said: "The truth of it is that everyone lies when they leave Doctor Who and says they've moved on. I mean, I've been thinking about it since I was three, so there's no way you stop thinking about it. The reason I've worked on 34 programmes in my life is because I don't normally like continuing series. That's why It's A Sin came to an end and I just moved on. I like looking at a new set of challenges every time and a blank page – but Doctor Who is always a blank page. There are things coming up that are brand new ways of telling the stories that have never been done before, so it just feels new. I wouldn't go back if it wasn't feeling new. But that's the thing about Doctor Who – every episode is new. Every single episode. I'm sitting here now, 10 pages away from a climax thinking, 'God, I've never written in this territory before – this is strange and new' – so it's always new. It's a self-renewing show."

- Russell T Davies

Speaking to Doctor Who Magazine issue 577 on 28 April, Chris Chibnall revealed that he only knew about Davies' return to the show 36 hours before the fans, having been told by Piers Wenger and Charlotte Moore, but made it clear that he "had a suspicion".

Promotion
The very first bit of promotion for this series came on 24 September 2021 with the reveal that Russell T Davies would be leading the show from the 60th anniversary and into "series beyond".

On 22 December, Davies told The Guardian that he had already written a couple of his episodes for the new era and confirmed that his first episode would indeed go out in November 2023, on the 60th Anniversary.

On 6 January 2022, visual effects editor Emily Lawrence spoke to Doctor Who Magazine 573 and offered a look into what may be in store for the future of the show, hinting at 360 screens and gaming software akin to shows like The Mandalorian, saying "The 360 screens in "The Mandalorian" and how they used gaming software to create those amazing landscapes is something I’d love to see in "Doctor Who", the actors walk in front of the screen and the environment moves with them.", explaing it would get rid of green screens once and for all.

On 3 March 2022, Matt Strevens told Doctor Who Magazine issue 575 that he was very excited for Davies' and Bad Wolf's plans for the show, saying "It meant a lot to Jodie [Whittaker] to know that she would regenerate – it's lovely to pass that on.".

On 14 March, a group of Year 10s and Year 11s on a Junior Apprenticeship programme at Cardiff and Vale College got to visit Wolf Studios to speak to the crew thanks to Screen Alliance Wales.

On 4 April, Jane Tranter, Head of Drama at Bad Wolf, told Variety that production would begin "later this year".

On 17 April it was revealed by BBC entertainment correspondent Lizo Mzimba in a BBC News article that Jodie Whittaker's successor as the Doctor was "expected to be revealed in the coming weeks".

On 15 May, the official Doctor Who accounts on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook shared a post containing two hearts and a blue diamond, and, shortly after, it was officially announced by the BBC that David Tennant and Catherine Tate would return to their roles of the the Doctor and Donna Noble.

On 16 May, Yasmin Finney teased her involvement with an Instagram post containing a rose and a blue diamond. It was officially announced by the BBC shortly after that Finney would be playing the new character, Rose.

On 17 May, Rachel Talalay posted two hearts, a blue diamond and a clapboard, announcing her return for the 60th Anniversary.

On 13 June, Davies shared an Instagram post with two hearts and a gem emoji. Shortly after, the BBC announced that Neil Patrick Harris would take on the role of a powerful villain.

On 23 June, Davies spoke to Doctor Who Magazine issue 579 about the upcoming specials, teasing possibilites as to how the Doctor and Donna could possibly end up back together, also noting that fans might see some familiar, but new, villains. Davies also said that his return came about around Christmas 2020 and that Doctor Who: Lockdown! played a role in that.

Speaking at the London Trans+ Pride on 9 July, transgender actress Yasmin Finney confirmed that her character Rose would be transgender as well, also calling out former prime minister Boris Johnson at the same time for bigotry.

On 28 July, Finney said "I get to open doors" in a speech after accepting the Attitude Magazine Pride Icon Award during the magazine’s annual Pride award show.

On 14 August, speaking at Fan Expo Boston, Tennant spoke about the 60th anniversary specials, saying that "most of what's been filmed with other people has all been inside. So, there is lots more coming than people think, which is very exciting.".

On 8 September, in a video interview with Queerpiphany, Yasmin Finney revealed some information about her character Rose, saying she was a 15-year-old transgender woman with a "great supportive family" and said her character in Doctor Who was very similar to her character from another show she was in, Heartstopper.

On 24 September, former showrunner Steven Moffat told Radio Times that he had read Russell T Davies's scripts and said they were "fantastic".

On 30 September, David Tennant spoke in an interview with BBC News about his and Catherine Tate's return to the show, explaining that it all happened during Doctor Who: Lockdown!, saying "[We] were just having a text exchange and Catherine said, 'wouldn’t it be fun to do it again?' Russell said, 'We could do a one off, maybe they’d let us'. We said, 'yeah that would be a laugh,' and then it all went quiet.", and continued "Suddenly Russell let us know that he was taking over the show again and he would be back fully in charge and would we come and play a little bit for him?".

On 23 October, following the broadcast of The Power of the Doctor and the episode's surprise regeneration into Tennant, Russell T Davies revealed that he would be playing the Fourteenth Doctor and new incoming actor for the following series Ncuti Gatwa would be playing the Fifteenth Doctor. It was also revealed that all three 60th Anniversary Specials would be airing in November 2023.

On 25 October it was announced by future-Doctor actor Gatwa on Live with Kelly and Ryan that a deal had been struck between the BBC and Disney Branded Television to have Doctor Who streaming on Disney+ from November 2023 onwards to transform the show into a global franchise. Along with these news was unveiled a new diamond-shaped logo.

Speaking of these news, showrunner Russell T Davies said: "I love this show, and this is the best of both worlds – with the vision and joy of the BBC and Disney+ together we can launch the TARDIS all around the planet, reaching a new generation of fans while keeping our traditional home firmly on the BBC in the UK."

- Russell T Davies

Commenting on it, Bad Wolf's Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner said: "For Doctor Who to have the backing of two of the most innovative and respected media organizations in the world is a testament to the unique drive and vision at the heart of this show. Bad Wolf are beyond delighted to be once again working with the genius that is Russell T Davies and, with the exciting new partnership between the BBC and Disney, we can together reach to even greater heights, producing from Wolf Studios Wales ambitious stories through time and space for audiences across the globe."

- Bad Wolf Productions

BBC's Charlotte Moore further said: "We are thrilled to announce this exciting global partnership with Disney who are the perfect partners to bring this very British show to the rest of the world. Russell T Davies’ vision for Doctor Who has always been out of this world and we are committed to ensuring that audiences across the globe get the opportunity to enjoy the Doctor’s epic adventures with the scale and ambition that they deserve. Joining forces with Disney will elevate the show to even greater heights and reach new audiences so it’s an extremely exciting time for fans in the UK and across the world."

- Charlotte Moore

Disney+ President Alice Bowen also weighed in: "We’re excited by the opportunity to bring new seasons of this beloved franchise exclusively to Disney+ and introduce the show to the next generation of audiences in more than 150 markets around the world. The series is a perfect addition to our ever-growing catalogue of global content that continues to make Disney+ the home for exceptional storytelling."

- Alice Bowen

Disney Branded Television President Ayo Davis also offered a few words: "Doctor Who has captivated the imaginations of families around the world for the past six decades. We are so excited about this collaboration with the BBC, and the opportunity to bring this iconic franchise – and Russell T Davies' brilliant vision – to life for a huge new global audience. Grab your sonic screwdrivers and prepare to travel through time and space!"

- Ayo Davis

CEO of Global Distribution at the BBC Studios Rebecca Glashow said: "We're delighted to join forces with a partner who shares our vision and ambition for one of the most iconic shows in British TV history. This is great news for everyone who loves Doctor Who, and for all the new fans we will reach through this powerful partnership."

- Rebecca Glashow

On 28 October, the new costumes for David Tennant's Fourteenth Doctor and Catherine Tate's Donna Noble went on display at the MCM Comic Con in London at the Doctor Who booth, which also displayed the TARDIS and other merch. The display was available until 30 October.

On 2 November in an interview with British Vogue, Yasmin Finney said about the impact her character Rose would have would "change the world". She also revealed that she auditioned for Doctor Who before she got the role of "Elle Argent" on Heartstopper.

On 10 November new revelations were made in Doctor Who Magazine issue 584 about the new era to come; the new production crew was revealed, the first part of many of the first story of the new Doctor's era, Liberation of the Daleks, was revealed, while it was also revealed that the Fifteenth Doctor's companion had been cast and at the time of the magazine, Davies was already on "Episode Seven". Furthermore, Davies teased that "huge revelations to come and brand-new stories about a Time Lord’s life" were yet to come. Davies also revealed how conversation about his, Tennant and Tate's returns came about during the Lockdown! watchalong of The Runaway Bride and how he reached out to the BBC for a potential return to the position of showrunner.

Broadcast
to be added

Cast

 * Fourteenth Doctor - David Tennant
 * Donna Noble - Catherine Tate

Recurring
To be added

Guest

 * Rose - Yasmin Finney
 * Wilfred Mott - Bernard Cribbins
 * Sylvia Noble - Jacqueline King
 * Shaun Temple - Karl Collins
 * TBA - Neil Patrick Harris
 * Edward Lawn Bridges - Tim Hudson

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Production
As 2023 marked the return of Russell T Davies as showrunner, it also marked a change in Studio-location, with the new studio, Wolf Studios, taking over from Roath Lock Studios as the company for in-house filming. This change came about as the company Bad Wolf was set to co-produce along with the BBC going forward.

Bad Wolf had further filed for a new subsidiary company, also run by Julie Gardner, called Whoniverse1 LTD.

On 5 May, the BBC spoke to TV Zone UK about the move from Roath Lock Studios to Wolf Studios, hoping that there would be a continued flow of production business.

Producers
Russell T Davies made his "explosive return" to Doctor Who in the 60th anniversary and "series beyond".

Phil Collinson, Julie Gardner and Jane Tranter also returned to the show as executive producers and were joined by Joel Collins.

Welcomed to the show as producers were Vicki Delow, Chris May and Ellen Marsh.

Phil Sims was the production designer and Scott Handcock was the script editor.

Director
Rachel Talalay directed the first 60th Anniversary Special along with director of photography Matt Gray.

Tom Kingsley directed the 2nd 60th Anniversary Special along with DOP Nick Dance.

Chanya Button directed the 3rd 60th Anniversary Special along with DOP Mika Orasmaa.

Writers
Russell T Davies wrote the 60th Anniversary specials.

Pre-production
On 19 January 2022, according to block producer Vicki Delow's CV, it stated that the new era was "currently in production”.

On 4 April, Jane Tranter stated in an interview with Variety that production would begin "later this year [2022]".

Filming
Filming began for the 60th Anniversary Specials in Wolf Studios, Wales on 3 May 2022 (with likely continuation for a few days).

Public filming began in front of the Cyberdog facility in Camden Market, Camden Town, Camden, London on 16 and 17 May and continued on 18 May and concluded with a nightshoot in the early morning hours of the following day.

Filming continued in the Gold Car Park at Lakeside Way near the Wembley Stadium in Wembley Park, Wembley, London on 19 and 20 May.

Filming took place at the Uskmouth Power Station in Newport, Wales on 25, 26 and 27 May. Filming picked up again on 30, 31 May and 1 June.

Filming moved to Axminster Road, Cardiff on 3 June. Filming picked up again on 6 June and continued through 7, 8 and 9 June. Filming also took place at the nearby The Sandies park on 9 June.

Filming continued in Old City, St Stephens Street, Broad Street, Clare Street, Baldwin Street, Marsh Street and Corn Street in Bristol, England on 15 and 16 June.

Filming went back to Wolf Studios, Wales on 27 June and continued on 28, 29 and 30 June and 1 July.

Filming for the 60th Anniversary Specials ended on 25 July.

Episode notes

 * The large gap between the broadcast of the Centenary Special (Series 13), released in October 2022, and the broadcast of the 60th Anniversary Specials, released in November 2023, marks the second time since the tradition began, that a Winter Special has been omitted.
 * The first time this happened was when the Series 12 opener Spyfall: Part One was broadcast on New Year's Day 2020 instead.

Aliens and enemies

 * Wrarth Warrior
 * Meep

Rumours

 * Paul McGann could be making a return.
 * Neil Patrick Harris could be portraying the Celestial Toymaker.
 * Additionally, the Toymaker is rumoured to be the reason behind the Fourteenth Doctor's resemblance to a prior incarnation, as well as the sudden change in clothes.
 * The new TARDIS interior could be wheelchair friendly.
 * Ruth Madeley could be joining the cast.
 * Bonnie Langford is set to return as Melanie Bush.

Novels
to be added

Comics

 * Liberation of the Daleks (set between TV: The Power of the Doctor and the 60th anniversary )

Webcasts
to be added

Adaptations and merchandising
to be added