Billie Piper says making 2005's Doctor Who now would be "disingenuous"
Piper spoke with this month's Doctor Who Magazine.
As this year marks the 20th anniversary of modern Doctor Who, the early years of the revival still hold a special place in many fans' hearts.
However, Billie Piper, who played companion Rose Tyler in the show's early years and recently returned in a surprise twist, has warned that replicating the era isn't something the series should be aiming for - in fact, she says it would be "disingenuous" to make the same show as they did then.
Piper told this month's issue of Doctor Who Magazine: "If we just made the Doctor Who that we made 20 years ago now, it would feel slightly disingenuous, because things were so different then, even 20 years ago, to what we're experiencing, what we've seen, what we've been exposed to since.
"God, we were so much more positive then. People have been profoundly affected by the material they see on social media. And it's been so normalised; everyone is a lot more heavy-hearted.
"It's not to say that we don't have a capacity for joy, because I think we absolutely do, but to ignore where we are right now... it's a completely different experience."
Piper was specifically speaking about her return alongside Christopher Eccleston in new audio drama Doctor Who: Snare, suggesting it would be different than their original series together.
She was speaking about this as opposed to her on-screen return, as the interview was conducted before that was confirmed.
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Piper's on-screen return to the series came at the end of season 15 finale The Reality War, in which Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor regenerated into her.
Notably, the credits didn't introduce Piper as "the Doctor", as is customary when introducing the show's new lead.
This has led to fans questioning whether she is actually playing the Doctor, or whether she is playing Rose once more, somehow body-swapped with the character.
Only adding to these theories were recent comments made by outgoing Doctor star Gatwa, who told The Today Programme in a recent interview: "I've finished playing Doctor Who, we all saw the gold sparkle - or did we, I don't know? I just don't know who the next Doctor Who is, but it's certainly not me."
Fifth Doctor star Peter Davison also questioned whether Piper was playing the Doctor, saying in a recent interview: "I don’t think she is the Doctor. I think it’s kind of just a hand grenade thrown into the final episode to try and go, 'Whoa, what’s this?' And then it’s almost like, 'Get out of that.'"
Doctor Who Magazine Issue 619 is on sale now from panini.co.uk and WHSmith priced £7.99 (UK).
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
