The Fifteenth Doctor Regenerates Into a Familiar Face in the Season 2 Finale of “Doctor Who”

Sshhhhhh…. Spoilers – The Sixteenth Doctor has been revealed!

Doctor Who fans beware, spoilers abound… After being heavily rumored, Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor has left the TARDIS at the end of “The Reality War," regenerating into a very familiar face.

What’s Happening:

After two seasons as the Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor has regenerated into the familiar face of Billie Piper, who previously played the Doctor’s companion Rose Tyler from 2005-2010.
Going into the season finale, fans anticipated a potential regeneration due to the unknown nature of the show’s future – specifically with the Disney+ arrangement.
This marks a very different move for the show, as while the Doctor has seen an old face of his own (that of David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor) return or a one-off character (in the case of the Sixth and Twelfth Doctors), this is the first time the character is taking the face of a former companion.

Billie Piper played the first companion following the show’s return in 2005, Rose Tyler – a much beloved character who appeared alongside the Ninth and Tenth Doctors in the show’s first four seasons.
She later returned as The Moment in the 50th anniversary special, “The Day of the Doctor," a sentient bomb that took on the form of Rose Tyler.
Piper takes over the role at an interesting time, as we currently have no clue if the Disney+ deal will be renewed, nor when the show might return. But it seems that with the character’s regeneration, the show will return in some form – we just currently have no idea when.
Watch the isolated regeneration for yourself below, and click here for my full recap of “The Reality War."

What They’re Saying:

Speaking of Ncuti’s departure, Russell T Davies, Showrunner said: "What a Doctor! Thank you, Ncuti! As his final words say, this has been an absolute joy, and the team in Cardiff and everyone who has worked on this show for the past few years, are so lucky to have been part of Ncuti’s great adventure as he shoots off to stratospheric new heights."
Speaking of Billie Piper’s return, Russell T Davies adds: "Billie once changed the whole of television, back in 2005, and now she’s done it again! It’s an honour and a hoot to welcome her back to the TARDIS, but quite how and why and who is a story yet to be told. After 62 years, the Doctor’s adventures are only just beginning!"
Billie Piper: "It’s no secret how much I love this show, and I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse as I have some of my best memories there, so to be given the opportunity to step back on that TARDIS one more time was just something I couldn’t refuse, but who, how, why and when, you’ll just have to wait and see."

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