60th Anniversary Specials —2023

The60th Anniversary Specials were a trilogy of television episodes released in2023 to celebrate the 60th anniversary ofDoctor Who. Like the20th anniversary specialThe Five Doctors^[+]Loading...["The Five Doctors (TV story)"] and the50th Anniversary Specials, these specials are not considered to be part of a numbered season.

The trilogy began anew era of the programme as former showrunner and executive producerRussell T Davies made his return to the role he effectively started.^[1] His return was announced on24 September2021.^[2]

Davies' initial run began with theseries revival in2005 with theNinth Doctor and ended in2010 with theTenth Doctor'sregeneration inThe End of Time^[+]Loading...["The End of Time (TV story)"]. Thirteen years later, Davies' second era commenced in the2022Centenary SpecialThe Power of the Doctor^[+]Loading...["The Power of the Doctor (TV story)"]; in the story's closing moments, theThirteenth Doctor regenerates into theFourteenth Doctor, an incarnation who looks virtually identical to the Tenth Doctor.

The specials marked a huge change to business form as production of the show by theBBC became a collaboration withBad Wolf,^[3] which had been acquired bySony.^[4][5] Furthermore, a deal was struck between the BBC andDisney Branded Television to haveDoctor Who streaming onDisney+.^[6]

The specials saw the return ofDavid Tennant to the role of the Doctor, now portraying the Fourteenth Doctor, rather than returning as his former Tenth Doctor.Catherine Tate also reprised her role as former companionDonna Noble, withBernard Cribbins,Jacqueline King andKarl Collins returning asWilfred Mott,Sylvia Noble andShaun Temple, respectively. In addition, several new cast members were prominently featured, includingYasmin Finney asRose andNeil Patrick Harris as "the greatest enemy the Doctor has ever faced".^{[7][8][9][10]}

Overview[[edit] |[edit source]]

Early announcements[[edit] |[edit source]]

InMay2017, it was announced that due to the terms of a deal betweenBBC Worldwide andSMG Pictures inChina, the company hadright of first refusal on the purchase for the Chinese market of past and future series of the programme, as well as spin-offs.^[11][12]

InOctober2019, it was revealed that due to the show heading toHBO Max, the network had struck a deal for additional series of the programme.^[13]

Return of a showrunner[[edit] |[edit source]]

On29 July2021, following the announcement ofJodie Whittaker andChris Chibnall's departure, theBBC noted, "We will announce plans for the new generation of Doctor Who in due course – watch this space!"^[14]

Illustration of Davies's forehead onGallifrey.

The new series and Davies' return were first teased byPiers Wenger when he said an upcoming change forDoctor Who would be "radical" on25 August.^[15]

It was noted in a big reveal by the BBC on24 September 2021 thatRussell T Davies would make his return in the 60th anniversary in2023 and remain ashead writer in "series beyond". Additionally,BBC Studios announced they were partnering withBad Wolf to produce the new episodes, a production company founded by Davies' formerDoctor Who collaboratorsJulie Gardner andJane Tranter.^[1][2]

Davies hinted at the announcement earlier that same day, posting a humorous artwork onInstagram depicting his forehead in front ofGallifrey; in the post's caption, he alerted his followers to watch out for "News incoming 3.15pm".^[16] Like the precedingseries 13^[17] the specials were announced as happening before the previous series had even begun broadcast.

Following the announcement, Davies said that he was "beyond excited" to be returning to the show but that he remained a viewer for the rest of Whittaker's run.^[18] Chibnall said that it was fitting that "one ofBritain's screenwriting diamonds" would be returning toDoctor Who for the 60th anniversary.^[19]

Speaking at a press event on11 October, Wenger said the decision for Davies to return "was one of the least painful decisions I've ever had to make" and that Davies is "a man with a vision, for sure", but that it was way off for the time being, that they had "a whole year of Jodie [Whittaker] to go yet. And lots of adventures ahead for her".^[20]

Speaking at a Q&A at theOxford Union on10 December, former showrunnerSteven Moffat insisted he was clueless as to the identity of the next Doctor, but said he nevertheless knew "a little bit" about Davies's future plans for the show, and was curious to see what it would be like.^[21]

Speaking toRadio Times on14 February2022 while talking about his show "It's a Sin", Davies said:

The truth of it is that everyone lies when they leaveDoctor Who and says they've moved on. I mean, I've been thinking about it since I was three, so there's no way you stop thinking about it. The reason I've worked on 34 programmes in my life is because I don't normally like continuing series. That's whyIt's A Sin came to an end and I just moved on. I like looking at a new set of challenges every time and a blank page – butDoctor Who is always a blank page. There are things coming up that are brand new ways of telling the stories that have never been done before, so it just feels new. I wouldn't go back if it wasn't feeling new. But that's the thing aboutDoctor Who – every episode is new. Every single episode. I'm sitting here now, 10 pages away from a climax thinking, 'God, I've never written in this territory before – this is strange and new' – so it's always new. It's a self-renewing show.Russell T Davies^[src]

Speaking toDoctor Who Magazineissue 577 on28 April, Chris Chibnall revealed that he only knew about Davies' return to the show 36 hours before the fans, having been told by Piers Wenger andCharlotte Moore, but made it clear that he "had a suspicion".^[22]

Promotion[[edit] |[edit source]]

Main article:/Promotion

Broadcast[[edit] |[edit source]]

A special press screening ofThe Star Beast^[+]Loading...["The Star Beast (TV story)"] took place on6 November2023 atBattersea Power Station in advance of the broadcast of the60th Anniversary Specials.

Dressed with an animatronicBeep the Meep,the TARDIS,UNIT soldiers, promotional standees and more, the event was attended by many familiar faces, includingRussell T Davies,Ruth Madeley,Murray Gold,Sophie Aldred,Janet Fielding,Colin Baker,Sylvester McCoy,Carole Ann Ford,Jane Tranter,Julie Gardner,Katy Manning and many more.^[23]

Cast[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Fourteenth Doctor -David Tennant
• Donna Noble -Catherine Tate

Recurring[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Rose Noble -Yasmin Finney
• Shaun Temple -Karl Collins
• Shirley Anne Bingham -Ruth Madeley
• Sylvia Noble -Jacqueline King
• Wilfred Mott -Bernard Cribbins
• Kate Lethbridge-Stewart -Jemma Redgrave
• Melanie Bush -Bonnie Langford

Guest[[edit] |[edit source]]

• BBC Reporter -Matt Green
• ColonelChan -Jamie Cho
• Lad -Harley McEvilly
• Lad -Max Fincham
• Fudge Merchandani -Dara Lall
• The Meep -Cecily Fay
• Meep Animatronics -Brian Herring,Phill Woodfine
• Wrarth Warrior 1 -Robert Strange
• Wrarth Warrior 2 -Stephen Love
• Wrarth Warrior 3 -Jordan Benjamin
• Wrarth Warrior 4 -Vassili Psaltopoulos
• Soldier -Isabella Carey
• MajorSingh -Ronak Patani
• Voice ofZogroth -Ned Porteous
• Voice ofZreeg -John Hopkinson
• Chief Technician -Anna Martine Freeman
• Sergeant -Archie Backhouse
• Voice of the Meep -Miriam Margolyes
• Isaac Newton -Nathaniel Curtis
• Mrs Merridew -Susan Twist
• The DoctorActing Double -Daniel Tuite
• The DoctorBeast Double -Ophir Raray
• The DoctorContortionist Double -Tommaso Di Vincenzo
• Donna Acting Double -Helen Cripps
• Charles Banerjee -Charlie De Melo
• The Toymaker -Neil Patrick Harris
• John Logie Baird -John MacKay
• Middle Aged Man -Ross Gurney-Randall
• ColonelIbrahim -Alexander Devrient
• Pilot -Glen Fox
• Edward Lawn Bridges -Tim Hudson
• The Vlinx -Aidan Cook
• Voice of the Vlinx -Nicholas Briggs
• Trinity Wells -Lachele Carl
• Voice ofStooky Sue -Leigh Lothian
• The ToymakerDance Double -Luke Featherston

And IntroducingNcuti Gatwa asThe Doctor

Production[[edit] |[edit source]]

As2023 marked the return ofRussell T Davies as showrunner, it also marked a change in studio-location, with the new studio,Wolf Studios, taking over fromRoath Lock Studios as the company for in-house filming.^[24] This change came about as the companyBad Wolf was set to co-produce along with theBBC going forward.^[25]

On5 May, the BBC spoke toTV Zone UK about the move from Roath Lock Studios to Wolf Studios, hoping that there would be a continued flow of production business.^[26]

On2 November2021, Bad Wolf had further filed for a new subsidiary company, also run byJulie Gardner, calledWhoniverse1 LTD, attached toSeries 14.^[27]

On3 May2023, Bad Wolf filed for another new subsidiary company, again run by Gardner, calledWhoniverse2 LTD, attached toSeries 15.^[28]

InDWM 597, released on9 November 2023,Russell T Davies revealed that he deliberately pushed the production ofWild Blue Yonder^[+]Loading...["Wild Blue Yonder (TV story)"] to the limit, including its budget, as he wanted to make the episode in a new way unlike his previous tenure. In particular, large physical sets were built which were bigger than any Davies had ever seen before.

Crew[[edit] |[edit source]]

Producers[[edit] |[edit source]]

Russell T Davies made his "explosive return" toDoctor Who in the 60th anniversary and "series beyond".^[1]

Phil Collinson,Julie Gardner andJane Tranter also returned to the show as executive producers and were joined byJoel Collins.^[29]

Welcomed to the show as producers wereVicki Delow,Chris May andEllen Marsh.^[29]

Phil Sims was theproduction designer andScott Handcock was thescript editor.^[29]

Director[[edit] |[edit source]]

Rachel Talalay directed the1st 60th Anniversary specialThe Star Beast^[+]Loading...["The Star Beast (TV story)"] along withdirector of photographyMatt Gray.^[30]

Tom Kingsley directed the 2nd 60th Anniversary SpecialWild Blue Yonder^[+]Loading...["Wild Blue Yonder (TV story)"] along with DOPNick Dance.^[31]

Chanya Button directed the 3rd 60th Anniversary SpecialThe Giggle^[+]Loading...["The Giggle (TV story)"] along with DOPMika Orasmaa.^[32]

Writers[[edit] |[edit source]]

Russell T Davies wrote the60th Anniversary specials.

Pre-production[[edit] |[edit source]]

On19 January2022, according to block producerVicki Delow's CV, it stated that the new era was "currently in production”.^[33]

On4 April,Jane Tranter stated in an interview withVariety that production would begin "later this year [2022]".^[34]

Filming[[edit] |[edit source]]

Filming began for the60th Anniversary Specials inWolf Studios,Wales on3 May2022 (with likely continuation for a few days).^[35]

Public filming began in front of theCyberdog shop inCamden Market,Camden Town,Camden,London on16 and17 May^[7] and continued on18 May and concluded with a nightshoot in the early morning hours of the following day.^[36]

Filming continued in theGold Car Park atLakeside Way near theWembley Stadium inWembley Park,Wembley, London on19 and20 May.^[8]

Filming took place at theUskmouth Power Station inNewport, Wales on25,26 and27 May.^[37][38] Filming picked up again on30,31 May and1 June.^[39]

Filming moved toAxminster Road,Cardiff on3 June.^[40] Filming picked up again on6 June and continued through7,8 and9 June.^[41][42] Filming also took place at the nearbyThe Sandies park on 9 June.^[43]

Filming continued inOld City,St Stephens Street,Broad Street,Clare Street,Baldwin Street,Marsh Street andCorn Street inBristol,England on15 and16 June.^{[44][45][46][47]}

Filming went back to Wolf Studios, Wales on27 June and continued on28,29 and30 June and1 July.^[48][49][50]

Filming for the 60th Anniversary Specials ended on25 July.^[51]

Television stories[[edit] |[edit source]]

Mini-episode[[edit] |[edit source]]

Anniversary specials[[edit] |[edit source]]

Episode notes[[edit] |[edit source]]

• The large gap between the broadcast ofThe Power of the Doctor^[+]Loading...["The Power of the Doctor (TV story)"] (Series 13), released inOctober2022, and the broadcast of the60th Anniversary Specials, released inNovember2023, marks the second time since the tradition began that aWinter Special has been omitted.
  • The first time this happened was when theSeries 12 openerSpyfall: Part One was broadcast onNew Year's Day2020 instead.
    • This is thus the first time since the tradition began that no new episode, special or otherwise, has aired over the festive period, onChristmas orNew Year.
• The working title for all three Specials wasThe Bridge.^[52]

BBC vs Disney+ versions[[edit] |[edit source]]

For all 3 Specials, there are slight differences between the versions broadcast onBBC One and the ones shown onDisney+:

• For all 3 specials, theWhoniverse ident was shown at the beginning of the episode on theBBC version. However, on the Disney+ version, theBBC ident was shown.
• For all 3 specials, theDisney ident was shown at the end of the episode on the Disney+ version.
• For all 3 specials, theExecutive Producers' credits were shown after thetitle sequence in the BBC version, however, they were shown in theend credits in the Disney+ version.
• For all 3 specials, in the end board for the BBC version, theBad Wolf logo was shown on the left and theBBC Studios Productions logo on the right. In the Disney+ version, they were switched.
• ForWild Blue Yonder^[+]Loading...["Wild Blue Yonder (TV story)"], theDirector's credit was shown before theProducer's credit on the Disney+ version.

Aliens and enemies[[edit] |[edit source]]

• The Meep
• Wrarth Warriors
• Not-Things
• Equine species
  • Captain
• The Toymaker
• Stooky family
  • Stooky Sue
  • Stooky Babbies
• The Vlinx
• The Master (essence ingold tooth)
• Hand of a Woman

Media set around these specials[[edit] |[edit source]]

Novels[[edit] |[edit source]]

to be added

Short stories[[edit] |[edit source]]

• A Letter from the Doctor (set betweenThe Power of the Doctor^[+]Loading...["The Power of the Doctor (TV story)"] andLiberation of the Daleks)
• Under Control (set betweenDestination: Skaro^[+]Loading...["Destination: Skaro (TV story)"] andInto Control)
• First Day of the Doctor (set afterThe Giggle^[+]Loading...["The Giggle (TV story)"])
• We Are Family (a teaser forThe Star Beast^[+]Loading...["The Star Beast (TV story)"])
• Fleeting Faces (an omnibus containingDestination: Skaro^[+]Loading...["Destination: Skaro (short story)"],Under Control^[+]Loading...["Under Control (short story)"] andInto Control^[+]Loading...["Into Control (short story)"])

Comics[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Liberation of the Daleks (set betweenThe Power of the Doctor^[+]Loading...["The Power of the Doctor (TV story)"]/A Letter from the Doctor andDestination: Skaro^[+]Loading...["Destination: Skaro (TV story)"])
• Into Control (set betweenUnder Control andDoctor Who: The Bedtime Story)
  • Later adapted intoa short story.
• Untitled (set betweenThe Star Beast^[+]Loading...["The Star Beast (TV story)"] andWild Blue Yonder^[+]Loading...["Wild Blue Yonder (TV story)"])

Television stories[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Destination: Skaro^[+]Loading...["Destination: Skaro (TV story)"] (set betweenLiberation of the Daleks andUnder Control)
• Doctor Who: The Bedtime Story (set betweenInto Control andThe Star Beast^[+]Loading...["The Star Beast (TV story)"])

Audio[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Redemption (leads intoThe Star Beast^[+]Loading...["The Star Beast (TV story)"])

Reference books[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Whotopia: The Ultimate Guide to the Whoniverse (set afterThe Giggle^[+]Loading...["The Giggle (TV story)"])

Adaptations and merchandising[[edit] |[edit source]]

to be added

Footnotes[[edit] |[edit source]]