Doctor Who showrunner teases “tear-filled goodbye” to Jodie Whittaker

It hurts me to think about it, but Jodie Whittaker’s time as the lead on Doctor Who is coming to an end. We are just less than a week away from her final episode, “The Power of the Doctor” and I am not ready!

How did these last few years go by so fast? It feels like it was only yesterday that BBC announced we’d be getting our first mainline female Doctor Who, and now look at us!

Luckily, even with Whittaker on her way out, there is much to look forward to as Ncuti Gatwa gets set to take over as the Fourteenth Doctor. We will hopefully get a glimpse of Gatwa when Whittaker’s Doctor regenerates into him!

Doctor Who boss teases “many Easter eggs” for Jodie Whittaker’s sendoff

Showrunner Chris Chibnall teased “The Power of the Doctor” while speaking with Metro.co.uk, promising “so many Easter eggs” and a “tear-filled goodbye” to the Thirteenth Doctor. According to Chibnall, Whittaker’s regeneration will be a bit different than those we’ve seen in the past. “It’s visually very different,” he said. “And where it takes place is different. I think I can say that without it being too much of a spoiler. It definitely feels different. It’s not going to take place in the same place as the previous regenerations.”

In the past, regenerations have taken place in the TARDIS, so I am curious to learn where this one will happen. It sounds like that will be just one of many surprises in store for us! “There are so many Easter eggs in there for people who have been watching the show over the years,” Chibnall said. “There are things for really, really hardcore fans, and even the more casual viewers. There’s lots to get your teeth into. It’s a huge, epic, fast roller coaster ride of an episode. It’s probably the biggest episode of Doctor Who we’ve yet made. It features the return of Tegan and Ace from the classic series of Doctor Who, Janet Fielding and Sophie Aldred who are phenomenal.”

But that’s not all, folks! We also have the Daleks, The Master, and the Cybermen to look forward to. But I think what has me most excited is wondering how David Tennant could play a role in the regeneration. Given that he is in next year’s 60th anniversary special, there are fan theories that Whittaker’s Doctor might regenerate into him before Gatwa takes over. And I really, really hope that this is the case.

“I haven’t seen that but it’s made me laugh!” Chibnall said when asked about the idea. “There’s fan theories on everything, I seem to remember there was a fan theory that Graham would turn out to be the Doctor, that Bradley Walsh was a secret Doctor in disguise.”

Could David Tennant return to Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor Who sendoff?

It’s safe to assume that we will need lots and lots of tissues when watching next week’s farewell episode. “The unique thing about this show, and the unique thing about these moments – there’s not many of them across the years – it’s the incredible moment of saying goodbye to a beloved character, to an extraordinary Doctor in Jodie Whittaker, and it’s a very, very tear-filled goodbye, but then there’s great excitement about what comes next as well. It’s a very celebratory episode, it’s very celebratory of Jodie as the Doctor, of Doctor Who, of the show, and its place within the BBC,” Chibnall said.

I am not ready, my fellow Whovians.

“The Power of the Doctor” premieres on October 23 on BBC One!

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