David Tennant: Returning to Doctor Who is a “victory lap, in a way”

Later this year, David Tennant will make a triumphant return to the Doctor Who franchise for one last adventure in a three-part 60th anniversary special. Tennant’s Tenth Doctor is one of the most popular of all time. And he’s not done quite yet.

In the season 13 finale, Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor regenerated into the Tenth Doctor, surprising everyone. We can be pretty certain that the upcoming episodes will be Tennant’s final stint in the role. Speaking to Radio Times, the 52-year-old actor revealed that his latest return is one “last shot” before he deems himself “too old” to play the Doctor. I mean, Peter Capaldi was 55 when he was cast as the Doctor, but okay.

“It’s a victory lap, in a way – you get to enjoy something that had meant so much to you, one last shot before you get too old to do it again,” he explained.

David Tennant will play the Doctor one more time before he gets “too old”

Tennant was always down to reprise the role again, even if the particulars were tricky to work out. “The specifics of coming back to Doctor Who took a bit of wrangling,” he said. But once original showrunner Russell T. Davies got back on board, all the pieces fell into place. “Initially, it was a casual conversation going, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun to do a one-off?’ Then Russell was back running the show and suddenly it could be something bigger.”

The 60th Anniversary specials are expected to premiere in November. Companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) return to the show. After that, Tennant will pass the baton onto Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa.

Buckle up, because this is going to be a wild ride, with writer Russell T. Davies calling the episodes the Doctor’s “biggest adventure yet.”

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