LONDON (AP) — A familiar face to Doctor Who fans is rejoining the long-running British sci-fi series as star Ncuti Gatwa prepares to exit the lead role. In Saturday’s season finale, Gatwa’s Time Lord regenerated, revealing Billie Piper, who portrayed Rose Tyler for 35 episodes between 2005 and 2013.
BBC producers are keeping Piper’s new role under wraps, fueling speculation that she may become the next Doctor. Showrunner Russell T Davies said, “It’s an honour and a hoot to welcome her back to the TARDIS,” without confirming details. Piper added, “I have always said I would love to return … but who, how, why and when, you’ll just have to wait and see.”
Ncuti Gatwa, the first Black actor to officially lead Doctor Who, took over from Jodie Whittaker in 2023 after Jo Martin’s Fugitive Doctor appearance. Whittaker made history in 2017 as the first female Doctor, with Martin following as the second. The series originally aired from 1963 to 1989 and relaunched in 2005. In the U.S., new episodes stream on Disney+.
Fans worldwide are eagerly awaiting official confirmation from the BBC regarding Piper’s future role.
