Doctor Who's Bonnie Langford and Carole Ann Ford recall season 15 finale changes after "quite different" original ending

Doctor Who legends Bonnie Langford and Carole Ann Ford have reflected on the season 15 finale – and how the final cut differed from what was originally scripted.

Sitting down with RadioTimes.com for in-depth interviews about their time on Doctor Who, Langford and Ford both looked back at their recent returns to their classic companions.

Airing in May, The Reality War stunned fans by ending with Ncuti Gatwa's departure as the Fifteenth Doctor, as he regenerated into fellow Doctor Who star Billie Piper, who previously played companion Rose Tyler.

The reveal was very much kept under wraps, with Melanie Bush actress Langford admitting she "didn't have a scooby" about Piper's role in the episode.

While she stayed tight-lipped on the specifics, the actress added: "It was quite different to how we had filmed it. We'd filmed it the year before, and I had to pop back and do some extra filming, which I couldn't do with everybody else, which I was really disappointed about – I was in America at the time."

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Allons-y!

Ford, who starred as Susan Foreman in the first ever episodes of Doctor Who, also made her long-awaited return to Doctor Who in season 15 – but some fans have argued her story felt unfinished.

Going some way to explain that, she told RadioTimes.com: "I think enough people out there know by now that something extra was filmed and wasn't shown.

"So yes, of course there were a couple more episodes which, because of some changes that had to be made, didn't make sense once the changes have been made. So they obviously had to film something else that went with those changes.

"[It's a] shame though – I'd love to have done it, and the bit I did do, I really enjoy doing, and I love seeing it. I sort of looked as if I was floating in space. And you've still got to find me, grandfather! I'm waiting for that!"

This week, it was confirmed that Doctor Who will return to screens for a 2026 Christmas special, with the show's deal with Disney coming to an end.

Before that, though, fans can look forward to spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea.

As for whether Mel will make an appearance? Langford's not giving anything away, laughing: "I can't tell you! I can't tell you anything. I'm sworn to secrecy on everything."

Bonnie Langford's full interview will be available on RadioTimes.com on 18th November. Stay tuned for Carole Ann Ford's full interview.

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