Catherine Tate has described her pairing with David Tennant on Doctor Who as “an amazing accident of alchemy”.
The actress, who is currently starring in her new show Queen Of Oz, played companion Donna Noble in the beloved BBC series, teamed with Tennant’s Time Lord, who was the tenth Doctor.
She first appeared in the closing scene of the show’s 2006 series and as a special guest star in the subsequent Christmas special, before she returned as Donna for the duration of series four and in a subsequent Christmas and New Year’s special.
She will now return alongside Tennant for the show’s 60th-anniversary trio of specials later this year.
Describing working with Tennant, Tate told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “I think it was just an accident, an amazing accident of alchemy.
“Because we got on set, we’ve never acted (together) before, we’ve barely met each other, and it kind of just happened.
“And Russell (T Davies, the showrunner) captures I think our energy and our speech patterns and our dynamic.”
She added: “It’s joyous and it is real, and we love it, and I don’t think either of us, in fact I know neither of us ever expected to get another bite of the Doctor.”
Tate said thinks the specials will air “sometime in November”, adding: “I can say nothing, I can’t even confirm I’m in it.”
#DoctorWho returns later this year for its 60th anniversary with three special episodes ❤️❤️➕🔷
Special One: THE STAR BEASTSpecial Two: WILD BLUE YONDERSpecial Three: THE GIGGLE pic.twitter.com/5RP2qf0tIY
— Doctor Who (@bbcdoctorwho) May 13, 2023
A teaser has revealed the first of the three specials will be titled The Star Beast, while the second is called Wild Blue Yonder and the third is named The Giggle.
Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa is set to take over as the Time Lord after the three specials, alongside Coronation Street actress Millie Gibson, who is playing the Doctor’s companion Ruby Sunday.
Gatwa’s first episode as the 15th Doctor will air over the festive period.
The latest revamp of the series sees It’s A Sin writer Davies return as showrunner, the man behind the 2005 revival of the long-running BBC show, succeeding Chris Chibnall, who introduced Jodie Whittaker as the 13th Doctor.