David Tennant: will actor return to Doctor Who with Catherine Tate - when is 60th anniversary episode?

David Tennant and Catherine Tate will make their return to Doctor Who in 2023.

David Tennant played the tenth Doctor from 2005-2010, alongside Catherine Tate played the Doctor’s companion, Donna Noble.

Tennant and Tate’s 2008 series of Doctor Who is the most successful that the show has had since its revival in 2005, with an average audience of more than eight million viewers per episode.

Their return means that they will be reuniting Russell T Davies, who was the head writer at the show while they were starring in the show.

Davies, who was in charge of Doctor Who, left at the same time as Tennant. Their final episode together was broadcast in 2010.

The exciting return comes after the announcement of Ncuti Gatwa as the fourteenth Doctor and new lead of the show.

So, when can fans expect to see David Tennant on their screens again?

Here’s everything you need to know about the exciting return.

When will David Tennant return to Doctor who?

It has been announced that David Tennant will return alongside Catherine Tate for the Doctor Who special anniversary episode in 2023.

The episode will commemorate 60 years of the show airing.

Showrunner Russell T Davies spoke on the iconic return saying: “They’re back! And it looks impossible - first, we announce a new Doctor, and then an old Doctor, along with the wonderful Donna, what on earth is happening?”

“Maybe this is a missing story. Or a parallel world. Or a dream, or a trick, or a flashback.”

“The only thing I can confirm is that it’s going to be spectacular, as two of our greatest stars reunite for the battle of a lifetime.”

Tenant previously returned alongside Billie Piper, who played his companion Rose, for the 50th Anniversary episode of the show.

Who else is returning for the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary episode?

There is no official cast list confirmed for the episode, however, Ncuti Gatwa will be making his debut and picking up the mantle as the fourteenth incarnation of the iconic character following on from Jodie Whitaker.

When will the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary episode be on TV?

There is no official release date for the 60th anniversary episode, however, filming is expected to get underway soon.

Who is the new Doctor?

Following on from Jodie Whitaker, Rwandan-Scottish actor Ncuti Gatwa will be the fourteenth incarnation of Doctor Who’s protagonist the Doctor.

Gatwa previously lived in Glasgow for university and studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where he graduated with a BA in Acting in 2013.

Showrunner Russel T Davies said in a statement about the casting: “The future is here and it’s Ncuti! Sometimes talent walks through the door and it’s so bright and bold and brilliant, I just stand back in awe and thank my lucky stars.”

He added: “Ncuti dazzled us, seized hold of the Doctor and owned those TARDIS keys in seconds. It’s an honour to work with him, and a hoot, I can’t wait to get started.”

In a press release from the BBC Ncuti Gatwa gushed about the role. Expressing his excitement for what’s to come, saying: “There aren’t quite the words to describe how I’m feeling. A mix of deeply honoured, beyond excited and of course a little bit scared.”

Who is David Tennant?

David Tennant is a Scottish actor born in Bathgate.

Growing up in Scotland, Tennant attended Saturday classes at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow. When he was 16 he auditioned for the Academy and passed, becoming one of their youngest students. Tennant studied there from the age of 17 to 20.

The actor’s most famous role came when he was cast as the tenth incarnation of the lead character The Doctor in the BBC sci-fi series Doctor Who.