Doctor Who will release Rose: The Prequel, along with “more surprises”

Doctor Who is pulling out all the stops to keep fans entertained during a time of social distancing and self-quarantine. Case in point: former showrunner Russell T. Davies announced on his Instagram this week (he lists his location of Gallifrey, naturally) that Whovians will be getting something special this Thursday.

And what special thing are we talking about? Well, according to Davies, we are about to get some new Rose material in the form of Rose: The Prequel. Rose Tyler, played by Billie Piper, was the first of the Doctor’s companions to accompany the iconic character after the show was rebooted in 2005. She quickly became one of the most beloved companions in the show’s long history, so anything new featuring her is very welcome.

Basically, Rose: The Prequel s never-before-seen footage of Rose from 2013’s “The Day of the Doctor,” a special episode made in honor of the show’s 50th anniversary. It’ll be available to watch on the BBC’s official Doctor Who website. There will also be a live stream and a tweet-a-long, all of it starting at at 7:00 p.m. GMT tomorrow!

I know I’m ecstatic about this, since I love both Rose Tyler and “The Day of the Doctor.” Davies says this prequel is a “lost piece of history” from that time so I think we’re in for a treat, Whovians!

Plus, Davies has promised that there are “more surprises to come”! Oh, whatever could that mean?! Maybe something from Tennant and Smith’s time during that 50th anniversary episode? Please?

In other Who news, our current Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) is trying to keep the mood light in a dark situation. The Doctor Who Twitter account posted an “emergency transmission” from Whittaker in character as the Doctor, who’s in isolation. “Or, as I like to call it, hiding… from an army on Sontarans. But keep that to yourself.”

Basically, this is a positive message for dealing with “coronamania,” as the Doctor puts it. She has a simple five-step plan:

"1. Remember — you’ll get through this. Things will be all right, even if they look uncertain. Even if you’re worried, darkness never prevails.2. Tell jokes, even bad ones. Especially bad ones. I’m brilliant at bad ones.3. Be kind. Even kinder than you were yesterday, and I know you were super kind yesterday. Talking will help, sharing will help… Look out for your friends, your neighbors, people you hardly know, and family… ’cause in the end, we’re all family.4. Listen to science, and listen to doctors, right? They’ve got your back.5. Stay strong. Stay positive. You’ve got this."

I love this video, and I love that she provided some comfort during these stressful times.

She also said that she’ll see us “very soon.” Here’s hoping.

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h/t Digital Spy, TVLine