It's a thrilling time for Doctor Who fans: after a year's hiatus, the BBC's sci-fi extravaganza returns this weekend with the first of a trio of 60th anniversary specials. Even better, David Tennant is reprising his role as the Doctor, and he will be joined on screen by his old companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate).
"It went from being a sort of opportunistic notion that we never really imagined would come to fruition at all, into something much more significant than that – and here we are," said Tennant about turning into the Doctor, 13 years after officially leaving the role the first time around. "I have to say, it felt very natural. I felt very at home, very quickly.
"What a treat," he added. "What a lovely, lovely thing to get to revisit something that was such a wonderful, happy, significant time in my life."
Following the specials, a brand new series of Doctor Who, which will star Sex Education's Ncuti Gatwa, will premiere on Christmas Day. Gatwa will become the fourteenth actor to play the Time Lord.
Details about the plot of any of the new episodes have been kept under wraps, but in an interview with Rolling Stone in July, Gatwa provided a glimpse into his interpretation of the Doctor: "The quality I admire most about the Doctor is that they fight for every life in the universe. Good or bad, foe or friend, they see the importance of everyone's life – and that everyone and everything has a place in the universe," he said.
"The show ultimately is about kindness and acceptance and that's what I love most about The Doctor – and Doctor Who."
There have been 13 actors who have played the time-travelling alien before Gatwa, each with their own distinct interpretation of the role. It's a core element of the show's continuing momentum over the years: each time a Doctor regenerates they usher in a new tone and new direction for the show.
With so many actors having played the Time Lord over the years, it can be confusing remembering who played the Doc first.
So here's the full list of the Doctor Who actors in order, from the first-ever Doctor, William Hartnell, to the newest actor to step into the role:
- William Hartnell (1908-1967) First Doctor: 1963-1966
- Patrick Troughton (1920-1987) Second Doctor: 1966-1969
- Jon Pertwee (1919-1996) Third Doctor: 1970-1974
- Tom Baker (1934-) Fourth Doctor: 1974-1981
- Peter Davison (1951-) Fifth Doctor: 1982-1984
- Colin Baker (1943-) Sixth Doctor: 1984-1986
- Sylvester McCoy (1943-) Seventh Doctor: 1987-1989
- Paul McGann (1959-) Eighth Doctor: 1996
- Christopher Eccleston (1964-) Ninth Doctor: 2005
- David Tennant (1971-) Tenth Doctor: 2005-2010
- Matt Smith (1982-) Eleventh Doctor: 2010-2013
- Peter Capaldi (1958-) Twelfth Doctor: 2014-2017
- Jodie Whittaker (1982-) Thirteenth Doctor: 2018-2022
- Ncuti Gatwa (1992-) Fifteenth Doctor: 2023-
Although Gatwa is technically the fourteenth long-term Doctor, he is being described as the fifteenth. This is because Tennant is now widely being seen as the fourteenth Doctor, now that he's returning for a trio of anniversary specials.
