Ex-companion Billie Piper resurfaces in ‘Doctor Who' finale shocker as Ncuti Gatwa exits show
There's a new doctor in the TARDIS.
Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor regenerated into former companion Billie Piper during the British sci-fi show's season finale on Saturday.
Gatwa, 32, confirmed to the BBC that he's leaving the series after playing the Time Lord for two seasons.
Advertisement
8 Ncuti Gatwa in the 'Doctor Who' season finale.
BBC
8 Ncuti Gatwa is leaving 'Doctor Who' after two seasons.
BBC
Piper, 42, previously played Rose Tyler, the companion to Christopher Eccleston's Ninth Doctor and David Tennant's Tenth Doctor, on the show from 2005 to 2006.
Advertisement
In a statement to the BBC, Piper celebrated her return to the show but didn't confirm that she's playing the Sixteenth Doctor.
8 Billie Piper in the 'Doctor Who' season finale.
BBC
8 Billie Piper is returning to the 'Doctor Who' franchise.
BBC
'It's no secret how much I love this show, and I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse as I have some of my best memories there, so to be given the opportunity to step back on that TARDIS one more time was just something I couldn't refuse,' the actress said.
Advertisement
'But who, how, why and when, you'll just have to wait and see,' she added.
8 Billie Piper attending the 2025 BAFTA Television Awards.
ZUMAPRESS.com
Showrunner Russell T Davis added: 'Billie once changed the whole of television, back in 2005, and now she's done it again! It's an honour and a hoot to welcome her back to the Tardis, but quite how and why and who is a story yet to be told. After 62 years, the Doctor's adventures are only just beginning!'
If Piper is the new Doctor, she'll be the second female to take on the iconic role after Jodie Whittaker, who played the Thirteenth Doctor from 2018 to 2022.
Advertisement
8 Billie Piper and David Tennant filming 'Doctor Who' in 2006.
Huw John/Shutterstock
Whittaker, 42, made a cameo in Saturday's finale. The credits at the end of the episode said, 'Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor. Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor. And introducing Billie Piper.'
Gatwa joined the series after Tennant's Fourteenth Doctor regenerated in 2023.
'You know when you get cast, at some point you are going to have to hand back that sonic screwdriver and it is all going to come to an end, but nothing quite prepares you for it,' Gatwa told the BBC about his exit from the series.
8 Ncuti Gatwa in the 'Doctor Who' season finale.
BBC
'This journey has been one that I will never forget, and a role that will be part of me forever,' the 'Barbie' star continued. 'There are no words to describe what it feels like to be cast as the Doctor, nor are there words to explain what it feels like to be accepted into this iconic role that has existed for over 60 years and is truly loved by so many across the globe.'
8 Ncuti Gatwa at the BAFTA Scotland awards.
ZUMAPRESS.com
Gatwa added: 'The fans are truly the final character and beating heart of this show and I can't thank the Whoniverse, and the Whovians, enough for welcoming me in, and making this such a touching experience. I've loved every minute of it, but now is the time to hand over the keys to that beloved blue box and let someone else take control and enjoy it every bit as much as I have.'
Advertisement
'I'll truly miss it, and forever be grateful to it, and everyone that has played a part in my journey as the Doctor,' Gatwa concluded.
Gatwa is set to star in the play 'Born With Teeth' in the West End. Performances run from Aug. 13 to Nov. 11.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Glastonbury mixed pop and politics long before the Bob Vylan controversy
LONDON (AP) — The Glastonbury Festival is making headlines for controversy rather than music. The likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Rod Stewart, Neil Young, Charli XCX, Busta Rhymes and Doechii played to tens of thousands onsite, and millions more on TV, during Britain's biggest and most famous music extravaganza. But it's little-known rap-punk duo Bob Vylan attracting politicians' ire — and a police probe — after leading a chant calling for 'death' to the Israeli military. This isn't the first time politics has collided with pop at the festival. For half a century, Britain's big political and cultural divides have found their way onstage at Glastonbury. Glastonbury grew from the counterculture The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, to give it its full name, was founded by Michael Eavis in 1970 on his Worthy Farm, 120 miles (some 200 kilometers) southwest of London. It's still run by the 90-year-old farmer and his daughter, Emily Eavis. Originally a hippie happening with a 1 pound ticket price (about 20 pounds or $27 today), Glastonbury has largely shed its counterculture cachet. These days, tickets for the three-day event cost close to 400 pounds. But it remains famous for its eclectic lineup, unique atmosphere and commitment to environmentalism and other progressive causes. This year's event drew about 200,000 people to see almost 4,000 performers on 120 stages, alongside film screenings and live debates on a variety of issues. The festival has always had a political side Glastonbury was founded in a spirit of hippie idealism that has never entirely faded. In the 1980s, the festival donated some of its profits to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, which protested U.S. nuclear weapons on British soil. It continues to support charities including Oxfam and Greenpeace. By the late 1980s, attendees included New Age 'travelers' involved with the U.K.'s unofficial and anarchic rave scene. In 1990, some travelers clashed with security at the site, leading to significant damage and more than 200 arrests. Since then, the festival's security and organization have grown increasingly professional, sparking regret from some fans who feel it has lost its alternative spirit. The 2016 festival coincided with the U.K.'s referendum on European Union membership, and the decision to leave the bloc — which most young people opposed — overshadowed the event. Many performers mentioned Brexit and the dispirited mood, including headliner Adele, who urged people to 'look after each other.' Performers have often vented their opposition to politicians from the stage. In 2019, rapper Stormzy led the crowd in 'F___ Boris' chants aimed at then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson. This year, Irish rappers Kneecap directed the same expletive at Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza has provoked heightened emotions that spilled over onto Glastonbury's stages. Before the event, some politicians called for Glastonbury to cancel a performance by Irish-language hip-hop trio Kneecap, whose pro-Palestinian comments, critics say, have crossed a line into support for violence. Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh has been charged under the Terrorism Act with supporting a proscribed organization for allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a concert in London in November. He denies the charge, and Kneecap has accused critics of trying to silence the band because of its support for the Palestinian cause. Kneecap's energetic set included plenty of pro-Palestinian comments and criticism of the government. But it was the act that preceded them, Bob Vylan, that caused a furor when a member of the duo led chants of 'death to the IDF,' the Israel Defense Forces. The Avon and Somerset Police force said officers would review video evidence 'to determine whether any offenses may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation. Michael and Emily Eavis said Bob Vylan had 'very much crossed a line.' They said 'there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence.' The BBC is facing criticism Britain's publicly funded national broadcaster is under fire for showing Bob Vylan's set, one of dozens of Glastonbury performances it streamed live online. The BBC said Monday that it should have cut off the broadcast after the 'antisemitic' and 'utterly unacceptable' comments, and has removed the performance from its website. But the government is demanding to know what 'due diligence' it did on Bob Vylan before the broadcast. Some media experts say the broadcaster is in a difficult position. Steven Barnett, professor of communications at the University of Westminster, said Britain's influential right-wing press,' including newspapers such as the Daily Mail and The Sun, frequently attack the BBC, 'for both commercial and ideological reasons.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
‘And the penny drops' – EastEnders fans discover soap star is 90s comedy legend
Just like all British soap operas, EastEnders has many characters who come and go over the years. Villains are killed off and others jet off abroad in search of a new life, making way for new talent to arrive on Albert Square. Among the most recent confirmed exits on the BBC soap include Molly Rainford, known for playing Queen Vic barmaid Anna Knight. But there's one former resident of Walford who has recently been appearing in the classic EastEnders episodes, and fans are shocked to realise she was also a 90s comedy legend. It comes as someone said in a throwback post on Reddit: 'Classic EE: I just realised who Queenie Trott was! 'She used to star in comedy show Keeping Up Appearances playing Daisy in the 90s. 'Judy Cornwell (who played Heather's Mum) only lasted 8 episodes (2007-08) and her last appearance was only this week after seeing her daughter getting married to Minty (fake or real). 'Was it just me, or did anyone else knew who she was?' Queenie Trott was played by Judy Cornwell, who joined the programme in 2007 and was the mother of Heather Trott. However, in 2008, Queenie exited the BBC soap as part of a storyline that saw Heather marry her fiancé, Minty Peterson. When Heather was murdered on EastEnders in 2012, Queenie didn't attend her funeral. Yet before her role on EastEnders, Judy took on the character of Daisy, who was the sister of Hyacinth Bucket (Patricia Routledge) and was married to Onslow (Geoffrey Hughes) on Keeping Up Appearances. Reacting to the discovery of Judy's role as Daisy in the BBC sitcom (from 1990 to 1995), someone responded to the original post on the subreddit r/eastenders: 'And the penny drops!!!! Thank you!!' This person commented: 'What a great actress, those two characters are worlds apart.' Someone else put: 'I knew who she was, always liked Onslow and Daisy lol.' Meanwhile, one fan revealed: 'She also played Mrs. Musgrove in the 1995 film 'Persuasion' with Ciarán Hinds—she was fantastic in that role!' Recommended reading: EastEnders legend returning to role after 27 years and teases 'awful surprises' Major EastEnders exit is confirmed as popular star set to leave BBC soap EastEnders icon rushed to hospital after collapsing twice on the BBC show Another added: 'I knew who she was, but I'm once again aggrieved at Heather's demise when she had so much more storytelling to do, including her relationship with Queenie!' One viewer replied: 'And Judy is still alive and well, now 85 years old.' Do you remember Judy Cornwell as Queenie Trott in EastEnders or as Daisy in Keeping Up Appearances? Let us know in the comments below.
Buzz Feed
an hour ago
- Buzz Feed
Matty Healy's Taylor Swift Inspired Pin At Glastonbury
As you probably know, in May 2023, Taylor Swift embarked on a seriously controversial relationship with British singer Matty Healy, with the two going public with their romance less than one month after Taylor split from her boyfriend of over six years, Joe Alwyn. The pairing was divisive due to Matty's long history of problematic behavior, which included him seemingly doing a Nazi salute on stage, and candidly saying that he masturbates to Black women being 'brutalized' just months earlier. Taylor remained defiant amid the backlash, and even made a pointed speech that implied she was completely unfazed by the online discourse during one of her Eras Tour shows. However, by early June, it had been reported that Taylor and Matty had ended their relationship — seemingly as suddenly as it had started. In April 2024, Taylor appeared to shed some light on her and Matty's whirlwind romance on her 31-track album, The Tortured Poets Department. While it's important to mention that lyrical interpretation is entirely subjective and Taylor very rarely confirms who her songs are about, she has always encouraged her fans to connect clues and Easter eggs about the subjects of her some of the clues are pretty apparent on TTPD, which enabled listeners to piece together a cohesive breakdown of what had seemingly happened between Matty and Taylor — from the moment that she apparently left Joe for him, to her devastation and heartbreak at him ultimately ghosting her. Taylor's music also appeared to confirm the long-running speculation that she and Matty had been privately involved in an on-again, off-again stiuationship of sorts for almost a decade, with the two first being romantically linked in November 2014 before Matty shut down the rumors by saying that it would be 'emasculating' to date her. On Tortured Poets, Taylor makes reference to 'waltzing back into rekindled flames' and being 'haunted' by somebody and a relationship that they 'never quite buried' in songs that are widely believed to be about Matty. The theme is perhaps at its most apparent in the song 'Peter,' which compares the subject of the song to the character Peter Pan. In 'Peter,' Taylor sings about falling for somebody but the timing not being right, and then spending years waiting for him to be ready to date her. 'You said you were gonna grow up, then you were gonna come find me,' she repeats in the chorus, later saying that the other person was 25 years old when they first met — which is how old Matty was in 2014.'I won't confess that I waited, but I let the lamp burn / As the men masqueraded, I hoped you'd return / With your feet on the ground, tell me all that you'd learned / Cause love's never lost when perspective is earned,' she sings. 'And you said you'd come and get me, but you were 25 / And the shelf life of those fantasies has expired / Lost to the Lost Boys chapter of your life.' And Matty appeared to allude to this song during his band, the 1975's, headline spot at Glastonbury festival on Friday night, with the star wearing a pretty pointed pin of Disney's Peter Pan for the duration of the performance. This wasn't Matty's only apparent reference to The Tortured Poets Department either, with Swifties also being left stunned when he appeared to make a thinly-veiled dig at Taylor partway through the show. For context, TTPD's title track is also thought to be about Matty, and lovingly pokes fun at his creative process during the peak of his and Taylor's relationship. 'What this moment is making me realize is that I probably am the best," Matty told the Glastonbury crowd. "I'm probably the best songwriter of my generation. The best, what do we say… A poet, ladies and gentlemen, is what I am.' Matty has never explicitly commented on Taylor's songs about him, and when paparazzi approached him to ask how he felt about his ex's 'diss track' shortly after the album's release, Matty breezily replied: 'My diss track? Oh! I haven't really listened to that much of it, but I'm sure it's pretty good.' He later dismissed Taylor as a 'casual romantic liaison' during an appearance on the Doomscroll podcast, and appeared to throw shade when he maintained that he wouldn't be writing any songs about her because it wouldn't be 'interesting.'Matty started dating model Gabbriette Bechtel in September 2023, and the two confirmed that they are engaged in July 2024. Meanwhile, Taylor started dating NFL star Travis Kelce in July 2023, one month after her split from Matty. As always, let me know what you make of it all in the comments below!
