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Doctor Who 60th anniversary release date, cast, trailer, and more news

We finally have confirmation of the Doctor Who 60th anniversary release date, but there's so much more you need to know about the specials.

David Tennant in Doctor Who 60th anniversary

When is the Doctor Who 60th anniversary release date? Somehow, without the need for any time travel, Russell T Davies and David Tennant are back.

Russell T Davies (or, RTD for short) was the man responsible for the return of Doctor Who in the mid-2000s, and under his watch the show regained its place as arguably the best sci-fi series ever, ranking among the best TV series of all time. He helmed the Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant eras, and now he’s back to take charge once again beginning with three specials celebrating the show’s 60th anniversary. Here’s everything you need to know about them.

Doctor Who 60th anniversary release date

The first episode of the three-part Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials is confirmed to be released on Saturday, November 25, 2023. The following two episodes will air on December 2, and December 9, 2023.

That’s right: the Doctor Who 60th anniversary is going to be a three-episode event, streaming on Disney Plus for international audiences and on the BBC in the UK. Each episode will be an hour long and their titles in order are as follows:

  • The Star Beast
  • Wild Blue Yonder
  • The Giggle

The three episodes will be directed by Rachel Talalay, Tom Kingsley, and Chanya Button respectively.

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Who is in the Doctor Who 60th anniversary cast?

The Doctor Who 60th anniversary cast is set to include some familiar faces with David Tennant and Catherine Tate, alongside plenty of new ones too as the likes of Yasmin Finney and Neil Patrick Harris join the cast.

So far, there have been several official announcements on the cast for the Doctor Who 60th anniversary, all listed below.

Officially confirmed for the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary cast list:

  • David Tennant as the 14th Doctor
  • Catherine Tate as Donna Noble
  • Yasmin Finney as Rose
  • Bernard Cribbins Wilfred Mott
  • Neil Patrick Harris as The Toymaker
  • Jacqueline King as Sylvia Noble
  • Karl Collin as Shaun Temple
  • Miriam Margolyes as Beep the Meep
  • Ruth Madeley as Shirley Anne Bingham
  • Ncuti Gatwa as the 15th Doctor

Let’s start with the big ones first. David Tennant is returning and he will be the 14th Doctor, while Catherine Tate re-joins him as former Doctor Who companion Donna Noble for the first time in over a decade. Exactly how the characters will fit into the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials is unclear, but they look set to play a major role.

David Tennant in Doctor Who 60th anniversary

Joining Tate as Donna will be Jacqueline King as Sylvia, Karl Collin as Shaun Temple, and the late, great Bernard Cribbins as Wilfried Mott. A return to Wilf will be a fitting way to bookmark Cribbins’ exceptional career, and the actor was able to finish filming his scenes as the character before his passing in July 2022.

The three confirmed actors who are new to the Doctor Who cast are Yasmin Finney, Neil Patrick Harris, and Ruth Madeley. Finney is joining the cast off the back of the success of the teen romance drama series Heartstopper. Pretty much the only thing we know about Finney’s character is that she is a young woman playing a character called Rose. Set pictures reveal that she is linked with Donna Noble and is potentially the former companion’s daughter with Shaun Temple.

Doctor Who 60th anniversary: Yasmin Finney in Heartstopper

Neil Patrick Harris will also be making his debut in the series as The Toymaker. That’s right, one of the biggest names in American TV and the star of Matrix 4 has been confirmed to be involved in the Doctor Who 60th anniversary special and he’s bound to be devilishly delightful.

David Tennantand Yasmin Finney in Doctor Who 60th anniversary

Ruth Madeley, who has previously worked with RTD on the series Years and Years, also joins the cast as Shirley Anne Bingham. However, nothing’s known about her character as of yet. Miriam Margolyes is now officially confirmed to be in the Doctor Who 60th anniversary cast as well, giving her voice to none other than the fluffiest war criminal in the galaxy: Beep the Meep. If ever a character needed to be part of a Lego Doctor Who set, it’s this one.

Finally, it was confirmed via the Doctor Who 60th anniversary teaser trailer that Ncuti Gatwa will show up in the specials in some form, and the teaser showed Gatwa yelling “Will someone tell me what the hell is going on here?” That could be the most exciting announcement of all.

Doctor Who 60th anniversary: Ncuti Gatwa as the 15th Doctor

Which previous Doctors will return in the Doctor Who 60th anniversary?

The Doctor Who 60th anniversary special is bringing back David Tennant’s Doctor. No other Doctors have been confirmed yet for the special.

Multi-Doctor stories are always fun, and this time speculation has focussed primarily on Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi, though neither have given any hints that they are involved in the episodes and have tried to defuse speculation.

Another Doctor that could feasibly return is Christopher Eccleston – though that is unlikely as the actor has consistently turned down the opportunity to return as the character ever since his departure after one season back in 2005. Then, of course, previous Doctors like Paul McGann and Sylvester McCoy could also be involved, though that is also less likely than the return of Smith or Capaldi.

If, or when, we do get more updates on the inclusion of other Doctors in the Doctor Who 60th anniversary we’ll keep you up to date with all the news here.

Ncuti Gatwa, Jonathan Groff, Millie Gibson in Doctor Who

Is Ncuti Gatwa in the Doctor Who 60th anniversary?

Ncuti Gatwa is set to be the next incarnation of the titular Gallifreyan Timelord after the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials. Best known for his leading role in the comedy series Sex Education, He will be taking over from David Tennant once the specials are done and will be the star of Doctor Who season 14.

However, from the teaser trailer, we know he will also have some role in the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials. We just don’t know how big it’s going to be, or how he’s going to be involved.

So, if you’re watching the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials because you’re expecting to see Gatwa as one of the main characters, don’t get your hopes up. Think of it as an appetizer before the main course.

Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson in Doctor Who

What will happen in the Doctor Who 60th anniversary?

The big question for the Doctor Who 60th anniversary plot is why did Jodie Whittaker’s 13th Doctor regenerate back into the 10th Doctor?  

The Doctor Who 60th anniversary will likely be exploring this mystery, and the plot could focus on a re-regenerated 10th Doctor who enlists Donna to help him once again as he faces down the existential threat of The Toymaker. Beep the Meep, a character from the Doctor Who comic strips, will be appearing as an antagonist too.

Doctor Who 60th anniversary release date - Beep the Meep

Doctor Who 60th anniversary trailer

There are now multiple trailers for the Doctor Who 60th anniversary. None give much away about the specials, but they do give a great look at Donna and The Doctor reunited, as well as showing new villains.

Check out the latest below:

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How many episodes are in the Doctor Who 60th anniversary?

The Doctor Who 60th anniversary will be marked by a three-episode event. These episodes are titled: The Star Beast, Wild Blue Yonder, and The Giggle. Ominous!

David Tennant in Doctor Who 60th anniversary

Where can you watch the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials?

The Doctor Who 60th Anniversary specials will be available to stream in the US on Disney Plus, and will be on cable on the BBC in the UK. Doctor Who season 14 will follow the same release pattern.

And, that’s it. That’s all we know about the Doctor Who 60th anniversary. We’ll keep this updated with the latest information as it comes in, so be sure to keep checking back for updates.

If the idea of traveling through time and space has got you in the mood for adventure, check out our guide to the best science fiction movies of all time. Or, stick with Doctor Who and find out the identity of the 15th Doctor’s companion.