Catherine Tate

BBC reveals release dates for Doctor Who anniversary specials

The Doctor, played by David Tennant, looks into the camera, with Donna Noble and Rose Noble stood behind him. The white, fluffy alien Beep the Meep clutches the Dcotor's jacket. They are flanked on either side by two insectoid Wrarth Warriors

The three hour-long programmes will air on BBC One on 25 November, 2 December and 9 December, respectively, and will also be available on iPlayer. The episode titles have previously been revealed as ‘The Star Beast’, ‘Wild Blue Yonder’ and ‘The Giggle’.

After ‘The Star Beast’ airs, 30-minute behind-the-scenes programme Doctor Who: Unleashed will be broadcast on BBC Three, and will also be available on iPlayer. Doctor Who Confidential aired from 2005-11, and provided a similar peak behind the curtain of the show’s production.

Four unanswered questions about the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials

The Doctor, played by David Tennant, leans out of the TARDIS with a look of shock on his face

Doctor Who returns in November, with three hour-long specials to celebrate 60 years of campiness across space and time.  

David Tennant (Good Omens) and Catherine Tate (The Catherine Tate Show) are back as the Doctor and companion Donna Noble. The Doctor first met Donna when she materialised in front of him in a wedding dress, and she quickly became a fan favourite. Her no-nonsense attitude and refusal to be impressed with the Doctor’s tight suits wowed viewers, who crowned her their favourite companion in a 2022 Radio Times poll.

Doctor Who trailer sees Catherine Tate and David Tennant return alongside 1966 villain the Toymaker

Fresh from the second series of Good Omens, David Tennant will be returning to Doctor Who after a decade away from the role.

Also returning under Russell T. Davis’ new management is Catherine Tate as Donna Noble, with Heartstopper’s Yasmin Finney joining the cast as Donna’s daughter, Rose. Doctor Who’s official Instagram page revealed this long-speculated news with the caption: “When we last saw Donna, the Doctor had to wipe her memory. So the question is, what happens when Rose meets one of her mum’s oldest friends?”

Catherine Tate announced as UK’s Eurovision spokesperson

Headshot of Catherine Tate with dark grey background

Catherine Tate (The Catherine Tate Show, Doctor Who) will be succeeding the likes of Amanda Holden, Richard Osman, Mel Giedroyc and Nigella Lawson as the UK spokesperson.

However, unlike her predecessors, Tate will be delivering the UK’s National Jury scores live from the very same arena the contest is taking place in - making UK Eurovision history.

Joining Tate in the arena will be the official hosts Graham Norton (The Graham Norton Show), Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso), singer Alesha Dixon and Ukrainian rock star Julia Sanina.

David Tennant and Catherine Tate to return to Doctor Who

David Tennant and Catherine Tate (credit: BBC)

David Tennant and Catherine Tate will return to their well-loved roles for the first time since the Doctor and Donna parted ways in ‘Journey’s End’ in 2008, when the Doctor had to wipe Donna’s memory in order to save her life. With the Doctor leaving Donna’s family with the stark warning that if she were ever to remember him, she would die, the question arises as to what brings the pair back together?

Leading Lady Parts: Exposing sexist stereotypes

Wunmi Mosaku, best known for her work in the award-winning The End of the F***ing World, comes in to audition for a role, but is turned away for being black.

“Look, it’s not that kind of film darling”, the panel says as she enters the audition suite. “They’re auditioning for that other film… Black Panther Returns… That’s in the next suite.”

“It was so awkward and so painful,” recalls writer and director Jessica Swale. “It does make you feel dirty setting that scene up, knowing that it is not that far away from what [Mosaku may] have faced in real life.”