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Doctor Who showrunner explains why he's moving away from classic monsters – but confirms "nods"

"It's like a living text, Doctor Who – you can't deny the fact that it's 62 years old now."

The Doctor faces off against a trio of Daleks in a dimly lit, smoky setting.

James Pardon/BBC Studios

Published: Monday, 7 April 2025 at 7:00 am

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Doctor Who is returning with all-new threats for the Time Lord and friends to face – but series boss Russell T Davies has promised "little nods, little references" to the show's past.

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Last year's episodes featured repeated mentions of the Doctor's granddaughter Susan (played by Carole Ann Ford as a series regular from 1963-64), much to the delight of fans.

Asked if we could expect similar nods in the latest season, Davies confirmed that we'll get "little moments" acknowledging Doctor Who's rich history.

"I love those references," he told RadioTimes.com. "It's like a living text, Doctor Who – you can't deny the fact that it's 62 years old now."

Despite his affection for the series's past, Davies explained that he remains keen to introduce new monsters and villains rather than rely on an established rogues' gallery.

Belinda and the Doctor standing next to the TARDIS and looking open-mouthed with excitement. Belinda is holding the Doctor's arm.

Varada Sethu as Belinda Chandra and Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor in Doctor Who. BBC Studios/Bad Wolf/Lara Cornell

"I'm shifting it away from Daleks and Cybermen and the Master... partly because I came in off the back of a story [2022's The Power of the Doctor] that had literally the Daleks and the Cybermen and the Master all in one episode fighting Jodie Whittaker – which was brilliant, but once that's happened, it's just common sense to take a different step...

"But little moments, little nods, little references... if anyone can say, 'Oh, you look like a Drahvin!' then I'm happy! I love that stuff – sometimes the writers put that into scripts and we enjoy it, but they're just nods and Easter eggs. That's the flavour of transmission today, I think."

In the upcoming season of Doctor Who, the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and new companion Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) will confront a variety of formidable adversaries across time and space, including Mr Ring-a-Ding – a cartoon character voiced by Alan Cumming, who escapes into the real world – while a mysterious force also seeks to prevent Belinda's return to Earth.

Doctor Who will air from Saturday 12th April at 6:50pm on BBC One, with new episodes available from 8am on Saturdays on BBC iPlayer in the UK. The series will be available on Disney+ outside of the UK.

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Authors

Morgan Jeffery

Morgan Jeffery

Morgan Jeffery is as a TV and Film expert and has appeared on BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 5 Live and Sky Atlantic.

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