Summary
- Yasmin Finney may continue to have a significant role in Doctor Who beyond the 60th-anniversary specials and could potentially join the Doctor in the TARDIS.
- The upcoming Doctor Who season 14 will feature both new and familiar faces, including the return of Kate Stewart and Bonnie Langford’s characters.
- Yasmin Finney’s return to Doctor Who suggests that her character, Rose, may have important connections to past companions and will play a key role in the show’s future.
According to Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies, Yasmin Finney’s new companion Rose may have a notable role long after her 60th-anniversary specials debut. Finney will star alongside David Tennant and Catherine Tate in three stories set to air in fall 2023 to celebrate the milestone. Ncuti Gatwa will lead a seasonal holiday adventure before starring in his first full season as the Doctor alongside Millie Gibson in Doctor Who season 14, which is expected to air in 2024.
In a recent column penned by Davies in the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine (via CBR), he revealed that the Heartstopper star may not be done with the sci-fi show following her appearance in the 60th-anniversary specials. Davies looked back on the final days of production for season 14, detailing his farewells with the crew and cast members, including Gibson. Furthermore, he stated that Finney had wrapped her final scenes a few days before, seemingly revealing she had returned for Doctor Who season 14. Check out Davies’ full comments below:
“I stand at the back of the studio. Millie catches my eye. We wave across the distance, but I don’t step in. They’re busy. Clock ticking. But around me, people are drawing in. Crew, office staff, actors. It’s been a week of goodbyes – Yasmin Finney wrapped a few days ago, big hugs, see you soon – but it all comes down to this. The last scene.”
What Yasmin Finney’s Season 14 Casting Could Mean For Doctor Who’s 60th-Anniversary
While Gatwa’s new Doctor Who era has already seen its cast include many new faces joining the sci-fi show, including Jinkx Monsoon, Aneurin Barnard, Anita Dobson, Michelle Greenidge, Jonathan Groff, and Lenny Rush, the Doctor is confirmed to run into more familiar faces. Kate Stewart will return for season 14 as Jemma Redgrave’s UNIT leader, leading the organization while sharing scenes with Gatwa and Gibson. Meanwhile, Bonnie Langford’s classic series companion Mel Bush will share scenes with Gatwa following her cameo in 2022’s “The Power of the Doctor,” where the companion was revealed to have returned to Earth.
Though Finney isn’t the sole returning companion to appear in Gatwa’s debut Doctor Who season, confirmation of her return presents the question of how big of a role she may play. While trailers for Doctor Who‘s 60th-anniversary specials have seen Finney star alongside Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor and Tate’s Donna Noble, it is currently unknown how many scenes she will star alongside Gatwa, nor whether she will be alongside Tennant’s Doctor when he regenerates. As such, it brings speculation about whether Finney’s Rose will join the Doctor in the TARDIS going into season 14 or if she will return at a later point in the season.
With Finney already playing a lead role in Heartstopper and being confirmed as a key cast member in Doctor Who‘s 60th-anniversary celebrations, the up-and-coming star’s return for further adventures in space and time is promising. While Rose’s character is still under tight wraps, some theories suggest she could have significant ties to past beloved companions, making her a highly anticipated character. Furthermore, with Finney’s return seemingly guaranteed, Davies’ 60th-anniversary stories could further establish characters for Gatwa’s era.
Source: Doctor Who Magazine (via CBR)