While Whovians didn’t get the usual Doctor Who Christmas special this year, they did get gifted with a new trailer for the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials that will be released in November. The trailer, along with some new images released on the Doctor Who Twitter page, features the return of a few familiar faces. Perhaps the most notable of these faces is David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor, who returned at the end of Jodie Whittaker’s final special when she regenerated into him. We also see the return of Catherine Tate as former companion Donna Noble. Jacqueline King and Karl Collins return as Sylvia Noble (Donna’s mother) and Shaun Temple (Donna’s husband), respectively. We see Neil Patrick Harris appear as a mysterious villain. We also get our first glimpse of Yasmin Finney as Rose and Ruth Madeley as Shirley Anne Bingham.
High Stakes for Donna in ‘Doctor Who’ 60th Anniversary Trailer
The trailer opens with Donna speaking to her mother, saying, “Sometimes I think there’s something missing. Like I had something lovely, and it’s gone.” Later we hear the Doctor say, “I don’t believe in destiny. But if destiny exists, then it is heading for Donna Noble.” We also see him tell Sylvia, “If she ever remembers me, she will die.” However, we see the two hugging and running together, suggesting that the Doctor cannot stop the destiny headed for Donna. And given the threat of mysterious monsters, he may need her more than ever.
Donna is a fan-favorite companion simply for being the Doctor’s best friend. She first appeared in the season two finale and then in the subsequent 2006 Christmas special. She was brought back as the full-time companion in season four. In that season’s finale, a human/Time Lord meta crisis caused Donna to gain the Doctor’s DNA and knowledge. However, this is too much for a human mind to handle, and in one of the show’s saddest moments, a heartbroken Doctor has to wipe a tearful Donna’s memories of him and the TARDIS from her mind. Any memory of him will cause her mind to overheat and kill her.
How this will be dealt with will be revealed when the three Doctor Who 60th Anniversary specials air in November 2023. The specials will also mark the beginning of Ncuti Gatwa, who also appears in the trailer, portraying the Doctor as a series regular
