BBC to celebrate 20 years of ‘new’ Doctor Who

The Beeb to mark two decades since the show’s revival with ’20 Years in Wales’…

Doctor Who Unleashed is to mark the BBC’s 2005 return to the world of time and space travel. Host Steffan Powell is taking a journey through the time vortex alongside an intergalactic lineup of Doctors, companions, and showrunners, Ncuti Gatwa, David Tennant, Jodie Whittaker, Varada Sethu, Billie Piper, Karen Gillen, Arthur Darvill, Pearl Mackie, Mandip Gill, Steven Moffat, Chris Chibnall, and Russell T Davies.

“Fans can expect to hear from the people who made all of the magic happen, straight from the horse’s mouth – the executives who brought Doctor Who back, why they did it, the challenges they faced, the directors who helped to make the programme work, and fascinatingly for me as well, the production design team who were there designing what the revival of Doctor Who looked like. At the time of the revival, there wasn’t that much sci-fi really on the telly compared to now, and so everyone was really breaking new ground.” – Steffan Powell

In the recent Doctor Who finale The Reality War viewers saw Ncuti Gatwa’s final scenes as the Doctor as he stepped down from one of the longest running characters on British television, behind Ken Barlow from Coronation Street, and they are most certainly worlds apart – you wouldn’t find our Ken with a sonic screwdriver.

In the last of the current run of ‘who‘, viewers saw the Doctor face the Rani in an extraordinary battle to save the world and the Doctor made the ultimate sacrifice to save the life of one little girl.

Since being announced as the Doctor in May 2022, Ncuti Gatwa was launched into the Whoniverse and his first appearance was part of the show’s 60th anniversary celebrations in November 2023. Gatwa’s arrival into the show was a never seen before bi-generation which saw him split from the Fourteenth Doctor, played by David Tennant.

Speaking of why the series, which disappeared from BBC screens from 1989 through to 2005, bar a feature length special in 1996, is so loved, Doctor Who Unleashed presenter Steffan Powell suggests:

“I think the secret to Doctor Who’s success is that it offers people the escapism that they need. There are thrills and spills and chases and uncertainty and scary moments, and it is a way to step away from the trials and tribulations of life and go on this fantastical journey for a bit. We know life can be tough for a lot of people a lot of the time, especially at the moment, so to have that fantastical escape with a good heart is important.

“There are a lot of television shows that are sometimes upsetting and dark, and I love those programmes as well. But sometimes, you just want a feel-good escapist show where there is bravery, and weird and wonderful things happen.

“I think that’s what Doctor Who did when it came back twenty years ago, and that’s what it’s doing now. Science fiction has come a long way in the last twenty years, and there’s a lot more competition out there, but Doctor Who stays true to those roots that were founded Sixty years ago. It’s that sense of joy that it brings, despite the scary moments and the tension, that allows you to escape to a safe place with safe characters who you adore.”

Watch Doctor Who: Unleashed on BBC iPlayer and add to your Watchlist