The dust has settled after Saturday's regeneration, but we're still no closer to knowing what's next for Doctor Who. However, based on the season 2 finale, the plan is to introduce Billie Piper as the Sixteenth Doctor (she previously played companion Rose Tyler when Russell T Davies and the BBC revived the series in 2005).
The credits didn't introduce her as "The Doctor," lending weight to the theories that this is only an interim look for the Time Lord. If so, it likely comes as a result of both the Doctor and Rose—as "Bad Wolf"—being exposed to the heart of the TARDIS.
Season 2 of Doctor Who was hit by multiple leaks, almost all of which came from an insider known only as "Andrew." He spoiled everything from the Rani's return to Ncuti Gatwa regenerating into Piper, and has now shared more details about her return (via SFFGazette.com).
Piper's casting was reportedly a "last-minute decision," and the plan was for us to get a cliffhanger regeneration as recently as the premiere. He doesn't believe season 2 either confirms plans for a renewal or a season 3 with Piper put front and centre. Instead, it "seems more like stunt casting, to round off [Davies' return] and kind of wrap up the NuWho era by bringing it full circle."
Piper wasn't on set for the regeneration and shot her scene in front of a green screen in London with a skeleton crew roughly a month ago. When that was done, "they just pasted her face onto Ncuti's body."
"Casting [Billie] was a way to increase audience interest (a bit like casting Tennant as [the Fourteenth Doctor]) and hopefully then make the show more appealing to Disney," the insider continued. "BBC a bit concerned currently about how they’re going to continue the show themselves."
"I think [Billie] saw it more of a favour to [Russell] than anything. She’s happy to do a special or series, but is also fine to just film a quick something in an attempt to help out the show, even if it ends up being no use," he added. "I don’t even think [Russell] knows why she has [Rose's] face yet. Most of season 3 was written with [Ncuti] in mind so don’t expect 16 to be too different."
He also alluded to significant reshoots in the finale, with even the Thirteenth Doctor's return a result of those. "Andrew" also seems pretty convinced that Davies will never admit that Gatwa's departure wasn't always the plan because season 3 has only been delayed thanks to season 1's poor reviews and ratings.
Had it been shot as planned while season 2 was still airing, Gatwa would have likely had at least a three-year stint as the Doctor. Instead, he's focused on Hollywood, the series is in limbo, and fans don't even have a Christmas special to look forward to later this year.
You can rewatch Piper's Doctor Who return in the player below.