Doctor Who sixtieth Anniversary rankings revealed

Doctor Who rankings have been boosted on Saturday night time as David Tennant’s long-awaited return to the present aired.

The present’s sixtieth Anniversary celebrations kicked off, with fan favourites David and Catherine Tate reprising their roles because the titular Time Lord and his companion Donna Noble.

The pair’s return to the BBC present, within the first of three specials, was lauded by followers, 15 years after they final travelled within the TARDIS collectively.

The much-anticipated episode pulled in 5million common viewers with a peak of 6million, in line with new in a single day rankings. 

In comparability for Jodie Whittaker‘s final ever episode as she bowed out of the position there have been 3.6million common viewers with a peak of 4million.  

The episode was a reunion that had sparked questions from die-hard followers, after Donna’s reminiscence of The Doctor was wiped in a bid to save lots of her life, in heartbreaking scenes from their final journey in 2008.

However, showrunner Russell T Davies created an unlikely loophole that reinstated Donna’s recollections, permitting her to see The Doctor once more after they tackled one other alien risk. 

In the episode, contemporary from his regeneration, the Doctor unintentionally crosses paths with Donna after a spaceship crashes in London.

Desperate to stay away from her, he rushes off to research, unaware {that a} mysterious alien has escaped, and adopted Donna and her daughter Rose house.

Rose (performed by Heartstopper’s Yasmin Finney) makes an attempt to cover the alien, a fluffy creature known as Beep The Meep, however Donna quickly finds it and the whole household are compelled to flee their house from alien army clashing with UNIT officers.

In a bombshell twist, Meep (voiced by Miriam Margolyes) is revealed to be the true villain, and vows to make use of their spaceship to wipe out town. 

Despite the Doctor’s greatest makes an attempt to cover his id from Donna, he’s compelled to surrender after they’re trapped in Meep’s exploding spaceship, and his longtime pal unlocks her Doctor Donna alter-ego to destroy the ship.

In heartbreaking scenes, Donna tragically dies in The Doctor’s arms, however a surprising twist reveals that her skills have been handed onto her daughter Rose.

Not solely does Rose rescue her household, however Donna, and all of her recollections, are resurrected, bringing one of many present’s most beloved duos again collectively once more.

Despite the Doctor’s issues that the Time Lord energy may overwhelm them each, Donna reassures him that they will deal with it like every lady – by ‘letting it go.’

The episode ends with the Doctor getting a glimpse of his model new – and glowing white – TARDIS, earlier than a blunder from Donna results in the pair being catapulted into house to a vacation spot unknown.

The first particular was universally praised by followers, who lauded that David and Catherine had seamlessly slipped again into their roles after 15 years aside.

Taking to X, previously often known as Twitter, one wrote: ‘I had the largest smile on my face throughout that whole episode. I missed Donna and the Doctor a lot!’.

While a second mentioned: ‘Okay I stayed and am crying at Doctor Donna’.

A 3rd typed: ‘That. Was. WONDERFUL!!! My coronary heart is so heat. I bloody beloved each second. Donna Noble and The Doctor are BACK.’ 

Someone else mentioned: ‘Today I really feel like i am a child once more. i have never felt this type of pleasure for the reason that mandalorian season three finale. the 14th physician and donna we’re every thing i keep in mind and wished again. allons y!!!’.

And: ‘It was Brilliant to see The Doctor and Donna again collectively and particularly DoctorDonna lol thanks, trying ahead to the subsequent two episodes then onward to the seventieth’.

With a six writing: #DoctorWho was every thing I wished and extra. This new period is gonna be superb!!!! So nostalgic seeing The Doctor and Donna again collectively and I beloved the story!’.

Viewers will subsequent see The Doctor and Donna land on a mysterious alien planet within the second episode, titled The Wide Blue Yonder.

The specials will then conclude with The Giggle, starring Neil Patrick Harris because the villainous Toymaker, and can lead into Ncuti Gatwa’s debut as The Doctor on Christmas Day.

Speaking in a Q&A forward of the primary particular, Russell revealed that he satisfied David and Catherine to return after they took half in a Who ‘tweetalong’ in the course of the Covid lockdown in 2020.

He additionally revealed that Derry Girls star Nicola Coughlan has joined the forged, and can seem within the present’s Christmas Special in 2024.

‘I simply love David and Catherine collectively, really,’ Russell mentioned. ‘And I like that TARDIS. David beloved that set a lot he thought it might be completely sensible to run round it like that. After eight takes, not fairly so enjoyable. He was worn out by the tip.’

Russell added that it was Catherine who advised she’d prefer to reprise her position as Donna in an upcoming episode.

‘Catherine mentioned, ‘Oh, I’ve at all times beloved Donna Noble and would not it’s marvellous to make some extra?’ And I went, ”Oh yeah, yeah, yeah,” like that. And then she requested David. She mentioned, ”Would you make some extra?” And he mentioned he would, in a heartbeat,’ Russell mentioned.

‘So then she informed me that and I genuinely felt honour-bound to go to the BBC and say, ”Look, these two stars have simply mentioned they might love to return again.” I knew it was the sixtieth anniversary developing. Simple as that.

‘So I simply despatched off that e mail about Christmas Eve or one thing – greatest Christmas current you ever had!’ 

‘All I acquired was a reply saying, ”Thank you. We’ll give it some thought.”

Doctor Who’s sixtieth Anniversary celebrations proceed with The Wide Blue Yonder on Saturday at 6:30pm on BBC One within the UK, and Disney+ internationally.