DOCTOR WHO Star David Tennant Addresses Return/Spin-Off Claims: "The Fourteenth Doctor Is Retired!"

DOCTOR WHO Star David Tennant Addresses Return/Spin-Off Claims: "The Fourteenth Doctor Is Retired!"

Doctor Who star David Tennant has addressed the speculation surrounding yet another return as the Fourteenth Doctor, making it clear that, as far as he's concerned, his stint as the Time Lord is now over.

By JoshWilding - Feb 15, 2024 04:02 AM EST
Filed Under: Doctor Who
Source: Radio Times (via SFFGazette.com)

In the final of last year's three Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials, David Tennant's Fourteenth Doctor was killed by the Toymaker. However, instead of regenerating, the Time Lord underwent an unexpected bi-generation, meaning the Fourteenth (Tennant) and Fifteenth (Ncuti Gatwa) Doctors now co-exist at the same time. 

Some could argue that's always been the case, of course, as the very nature of time travel means every version of the Doctor is out there somewhere! In the "NuWho" era, we've seen more than a few Doctors cross paths on screen. 

Regardless, while the next series of Doctor Who will put the spotlight squarely on Gatwa, the expectation is that he and Tennant will eventually share the screen again. There's even been chatter about the Fourteenth Doctor getting a spin-off, something we know would make a lot of fans very happy. 

However, in an interview with Radio Times (via SFFGazette.com), Tennant dialled back expectations by addressing his future in the series. 

"The Doctor’s happy. He is in a garden in Chiswick, being made mac and cheese by Bonnie Langford!" the actor shared. "The door is not any more open than it ever was, because in Doctor Who if you want to bring someone back, there are endless ways of doing it. It’s very much the end of the story."

When the site put it to Tennant that his Doctor might need to protect Earth if Gatwa's version is elsewhere, he countered by saying, "You could also say, 'Why has Patrick Troughton not landed here?!' It unpicks if you think about that too much. I’m retired! The Fourteenth Doctor is retired!"

Despite that, Tennant says the show remains a "huge part" of his life and noted that his recent return was a "real treat."

"Bi-generation, we discover, is an ancient myth of the Time Lords where, instead of a new body taking over from the old body, the new body separates from the old body, and both are left alive," showrunner Russell T Davies said last year of the Doctor's new status quo. 

"Bi-generation is a new thing; it’s the 60th," he added. "Imagine how much fans love new things, and really rejoice when this happens [Laughs]."

"Actually, I’ve had this idea for years. I’ve always wanted, instead of going back and meeting old Doctors, I’ve always wanted the Doctor to talk to his new version. Why has it never been done before? How can you resist the two of them having an adventure at the same time?"

Doctor Who returns with new episodes this May. In other news, the BBC just shared an exciting update for hardcore Whovians...

DOCTOR WHO Star Ncuti Gatwa Is Reportedly Not Long For Doctor Role As Season 3 Plans Remain Up In The Air
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DOCTOR WHO Star Ncuti Gatwa Is Reportedly "Not Long" For Doctor Role As Season 3 Plans Remain Up In The Air

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harryba11zack
harryba11zack - 2/15/2024, 5:37 AM
I'm guessing his short return didn't bring back enough of the numbers that they were hoping for.
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 2/15/2024, 12:53 PM
@harryba11zack - Highest viewing figures for any drama on any channel in the UK for the year says otherwise (with the possible exception of a Christmas special after then). Even with a dip after the first special they still all came in above all others and even Vigil never passed them when the second season of that dropped.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 2/15/2024, 6:00 AM
I feel like people wouldn’t be wondering if he would return or be part of a spin-off if they hadn’t let him keep the Tardis and gave Ncuti his own one…

If Ncuti had taken his then we would know he had no way to help him if need be so that wouldn’t even be a question.

However I also understand that The Doctor would never part with his Tardis willingly , companions come & go but that’s their eternal ride or die haha…

Anyway , for now this was a good ending for Tennant so if this is truly it for his involvement then I’m satisfied!!.

HashTagSwagg
HashTagSwagg - 2/15/2024, 6:04 AM
He couldn't save it. All this push for more woke sh1t in Hollywood and the audience walking away has really hi-lighted the importance of good/ competent writers. Special effects and star power alone isn't enough.
DocSpock
DocSpock - 2/15/2024, 7:43 AM

His full return is exactly what is needed to save this thing.

But at this point, they'd probably get hung for cultural appropriation if they did that.

This show has gone off a cliff and will soon hit bottom.
Twenty23Three
Twenty23Three - 2/15/2024, 8:02 AM
@DocSpock - I don’t think you know what Cultural appropriation means
Twenty23Three
Twenty23Three - 2/15/2024, 8:01 AM
And so it begins, the constant demand from people who don’t watch the show who want the ‘popular one back’. They said the show would disappear when he left the first time but it got so much better with Smith and Capaldi. Bringing him back as a new Doctor was such a huge mistake and they didn’t even try and give a good reason for it in the story. Ncuti has enough of an uphill battle with all the basement dwellers who can’t handle a non straight black man, without them writing in an excuse to pull back Tennant every time they run out of ideas.
marvel72
marvel72 - 2/15/2024, 8:01 AM
Hmmm, I wonder why? Doctor Woke is a big pile of steaming shit.
DocSpock
DocSpock - 2/15/2024, 8:23 AM
@marvel72 -

Shhhhh....

LondonStan can hear you.

marvel72
marvel72 - 2/15/2024, 8:28 AM
@DocSpock - OK I'll keep quiet.
DocSpock
DocSpock - 2/15/2024, 8:33 AM

@Twenty23Three -

Ooh. Please, PLEASE preach some more radical snowflake dogma at us, and call everyone racist & homophobic because we don't like how sh!tty this show has become.

Can you not understand that the reason a lot of people don't like the current iteration of this show & viewership numbers are quickly dropping are because it is lousy. but please keep box checking and whining. From your comments, it seems likely that YOU don't watch the show. You can put your thumb back in your mouth & pull your SJW blankie back over your head now.


Twenty23Three
Twenty23Three - 2/15/2024, 8:45 AM
@DocSpock - hey there buddy, you need to relax. I never once said the show was good nowadays. It was bad the whole Chibnall era and I don’t think bringing back RTD is a good ideas and the specials reinforced that idea for me.
Did me mentioning Ncuti faces an uphill battle because he’s not white and straight cause you to get that upset? If so you’re kinda proving my point. If not I suggest reading things better before posting some embarrassing rant. Either way you need to relax.
DocSpock
DocSpock - 2/15/2024, 11:16 AM
@Twenty23Three -

"Ncuti has enough of an uphill battle with all the basement dwellers who can’t handle a non straight black man."

You typed that. No sense trying to walk it back now.

Twenty23Three
Twenty23Three - 2/15/2024, 3:18 PM
@DocSpock - yeah, I didn’t try and walk anything back, I even said it again. What’s your point? You went on a massive rant about the quality of the show, which I was also saying negative things about. You just decided to have a little outburst because I simple brought up the fact that people are discriminating against the guy from the get go. Unless you think he SHOULD be treated differently because of who he is? Come on bug guy explain your point like an adult
NinnesMBC
NinnesMBC - 2/16/2024, 12:19 AM
He will come back one day when it's needed but for now Ncuti has it covered.
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 2/16/2024, 7:28 AM
@NinnesMBC - Most likely case RTD was finaly fulfilling the first step Valeyard prophecy that should have accured by now already in that at some point after the 12th a second entirely seperate Doctor would exist that turns evil after he appeared during the trial of the Doctor story in the 80's. His wanting to have Doctors talking to each other doesn't carry much weight when he can do that any time he wants anyway. That said Tennant being around on Earth does give added interest if they do a U.N.I.T. spinoff show as likely be a regular consultant they call on for that even if not main cast in the meantime.

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