Tennant was the Tenth and now Fourteenth Doctor
Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has explained the difference between the two versions of the character that David Tennant has played.
Tennant was the Tenth Time Lord from 2005–2010, and returns to the TARDIS as the Fourteenth in three 60th anniversary specials at the end of 2023.
Speaking to Digital Spy and other media, Davies revealed exactly what the difference between Tennant’s two iterations is.
The key difference, he explained, is that the Fourteenth Doctor is “slightly more human” than the Tenth.
Davies said that although Tennant and Catherine Tate, who played companion Donna Noble, last appeared in Doctor Who over a decade ago, it was just as easy to write for them again.
“I didn’t even go and watch an old episode on iPlayer because they never quite go really… those big characters don’t go from your head. They keep on ticking away.”
He went on to discuss Doctor Who’s lasting impact, not only on viewers but its cast and crew, too.
“There’s an extraordinary thing with Doctor Who, which is with the crew and a lot of the cast, their children watch it.
“It gets passed on down generations and I love that and I think the crew are very much aware that they’re part of a history that their kids will be watching or their kids’ kids will be watching, and that creates a really lovely atmosphere on set.”
As well as seeing the return of Tennant and fan favourite Donna Noble (now Donna Temple-Noble), the specials will also feature stars including Heartstopper’s Yasmin Finney.
Though the titles and timeslots of the three episodes have been revealed – The Star Beast, Wild Blue Yonder and The Giggle – their plots remain under wraps. But we do know that Neil Patrick Harris will appear as The Toymaker and Miriam Margolyes will voice alien Beep the Meep.
The specials will serve as a bridge to the Fifteenth Doctor, when Ncuti Gatwa takes up the helm alongside new companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson).
