‘Doctor Who’ 60th Anniversary Special Premiere Dates Finally Revealed
by Erik Amaya
It’s about time.
The BBC and Disney have finally unveiled the premiere dates for the three Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials. Starring David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor and Catherine Tate as returning companion Donna Noble, the three stories reunite the DoctorDonna after mysterious circumstances caused the Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) to regenerate into a previous form. Maybe the Celestial Toymaker (Neil Patrick Harris), also returning after a long absence, had something to do with it and why The Doctor and Donna are once again drawn together.
The first special, “The Star Beast,” an adaptation of a Doctor Who Weekly comic strip, airs in UK this coming November 25th, just two days after the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who‘s 1963 premiere. “Wild Blue Yonder” airs the subsequent Saturday, December 2nd, with the finale — “The Giggle” landing on December 9th. All three specials will be available to stream on the BBC’s iPlayer in the UK and on Disney+ in the rest of the world from the three premiere dates. Although, its unclear exactly when they will be on the Disney service. Traditionally, Doctor Who has been on a delay outside of the UK. When the show was on BBC America, it typically debuted new episodes five-to-eight hours after BBC One aired the show. But considering just how accommodating Disney+ tries to be with its exact premiere times, it’s possible the specials’ debuts in the UK and on Disney+ will be simultaneous.
But even the subject of an actual airtime is up for debate as Doctor Who‘s customary Saturday tea-time slot can vary from 5:15pm (its original 1963 slot) to a little after 7pm in the 21st Century.
Either way, we look forward to celebrating the show in such a dramatic way with returning stars, characters, enemies, and — hopefully — a surprise or 14 before Tennant regenerates into Ncuti Gatwa, the Fifteenth Doctor, in December. Gatwa’s first full episode as The Doctor will likely run on Christmas Day, but that has not been confirmed.
