Doctor Who season 14: Release date, trailers, episodes, and latest news
Ncuti Gatwa's first season is on its way.
With less than a month to go until Doctor Who season 14 debuts its first two episodes, every day it feels like we're getting more and more details on what to expect from Ncuti Gatwa's first season.
We already know the episode titles and writers for the first season since the BBC struck a deal with Disney Plus, with showrunner Russell T Davies taking on the lion's share, and former showrunner Steven Moffat and the writing partnership of Kate Herron and Briony Redman taking on one each.
The episodes will be arriving in a new release format, with fans around the world getting them available to stream simultaneously, at midnight UK time, ahead of them airing on BBC One later that day.
This change has provoked a mixed reaction from fans, but Moffat has described the move as "a whole new level of insane greatness" before joking that he "can't wait to complain about it".
The Fifteenth Doctor era well and truly began in the Christmas special, The Church on Ruby Road, which saw the Doctor meet his companion, Ruby Sunday (played by Millie Gibson). It also set up a fair few mysteries that will stay with us – like who exactly is Anita Dobson's Mrs Flood?!
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We've been given a whole host of hints about what season 14 will look like, including new cast members like Jinkx Monsoon and Jonathan Groff, and that we'll be going back in time to the Regency era and to the 1960s for an adventure with the Beatles (with the actors playing the Fab Four having now been announced).
Plus, we've got a couple of action-packed trailers to tide us over.
But, while we're waiting for the new episodes, here's everything we know so far about Doctor Who season 14.
Doctor Who season 14 release date
Doctor Who season 14 will begin on Saturday 11th May 2024, the BBC has confirmed.
The first two episodes will be released at once, and will debut on BBC iPlayer at midnight before airing on TV back-to-back later that day before the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final.
That means new episodes of Doctor Who will be released around the world at exactly the same time, with UK fans able to watch on BBC iPlayer and fans around the world able to tune in on Disney Plus.
Filming for season 14 began in December 2022, shortly after it was announced that Gatwa had been cast as the Fifteenth Doctor.
Production wrapped in July 2023, with showrunner Russell T Davies sharing a full cast and crew photo.
Doctor Who season 14 release schedule
Now we know the release date for Doctor Who season 14, we'd expect the release schedule to look like this.
- Episode 1 – Space Babies – 11th May
- Episode 2 – The Devil's Chord – 11th May
- Episode 3 – Boom – 18th May
- Episode 4 – 73 Yards – 25th May
- Episode 5 – Dot and Bubble – 1st June
- Episode 6 – Rogue – 8th June
- Episode 7 – The Legend of Ruby Sunday – 15th June
- Episode 8 – Empire of Death – 22nd June
What time will Doctor Who season 14 episodes be released?
In the UK, episodes will be released at midnight on Saturdays on BBC iPlayer before airing later that day on BBC One. Fans outside the UK can tune in on Disney Plus.
Worldwide release times are below:
- 4pm PT on Fridays (Los Angeles)
- 7pm ET on Fridays (New York/Toronto)
- 12am BST on Saturdays (UK)
- 1am CEST on Saturdays (Paris/Rome)
- 9am AEST on Saturdays (Sydney)
Who will star in Doctor Who season 14?
The following stars have been confirmed for Doctor Who season 14.
- Ncuti Gatwa as The Fifteenth Doctor
- Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday
- Michelle Greenidge as Carla Sunday
- Angela Wynter as Cherry Sunday
- Anita Dobson as Mrs Flood
- Jemma Redgrave as Kate Stewart
- Bonnie Langford as Melanie "Mel" Bush
- Yasmin Finney as Rose Noble
- Alexander Devrient as Colonel Christopher Ibrahim
- Aneurin Barnard as Roger ap Gwilliam
- Indira Varma as The Duchess
- Lenny Rush as Morris
- Jinkx Monsoon as Maestro
- Jonathan Groff as TBC
- George Caple as Paul McCartney
- James Hoyles as Ringo Starr
- Phillip Davies as George Harrison
- Chris Mason as John Lennon
Our brand new Doctor was unveiled back in May 2022 ahead of Jodie Whittaker’s last adventure in The Power of the Doctor, with Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa announced in the role.
Gatwa said at the time: "There aren’t quite the words to describe how I’m feeling. A mix of deeply honoured, beyond excited and, of course, a little bit scared.
"This role and show means so much to so many around the world, including myself, and each one of my incredibly talented predecessors has handled that unique responsibility and privilege with the utmost care. I will endeavour my upmost to do the same."
He added: "Russell T Davies is almost as iconic as the Doctor himself and being able to work with him is a dream come true. His writing is dynamic, exciting, incredibly intelligent and fizzing with danger.
"An actor’s metaphorical playground. The entire team have been so welcoming and truly give their hearts to the show. And so as much as it’s daunting, I’m aware I’m joining a really supportive family. Unlike the Doctor, I may only have one heart but I am giving it all to this show."
Davies later gave an update on Gatwa's Doctor, telling RadioTimes.com: "I can promise you a completely new Doctor, and yet a Doctor utterly faithful to the 60 years that came before. Soon, the secret will be out, and we'll all be dancing!"
Other Doctor Who legends have also had high praise for the star, from Matt Smith to Sylvester McCoy - so clearly he's well and truly part of the club.
Meanwhile, the other major addition to the gang is former Coronation Street star Millie Gibson in the role of new companion Ruby Sunday.
After being unveiled as the new companion during Children in Need 2022, Gibson said in a statement: "It is a gift of a role, and a dream come true, and I will do everything to try and fill the boots the fellow companions have travelled in before me. And what better way to do that than being by the fabulous Ncuti Gatwa’s side, I just can’t wait to get started."
On Gibson's addition, Gatwa said: "Millie just is the companion. She is full of talent, strength, she has a cheeky sparkle in her eye and is sharp as a razor.
"From the moment she walked into the room she captured all of our attention with her effervescence and then solidified that attention with the sheer torque of her talent.
"This adventure is going to be so wild and so fun, I cannot WAIT to sail the universe with Millie!"
More recently, it's been reported that Gibson will stay as the main companion in Doctor Who for season 14, before stepping into a smaller role for the next season. But, before then, we've still got tons of episodes of Ruby to look forward to!
Meanwhile, a flurry of guest stars has been confirmed for the upcoming episodes.
Jemma Redgrave will reprise her role as UNIT boss Kate Stewart after returning for 60th anniversary special The Giggle, while Bonnie Langford will also make a return as the classic companion Melanie "Mel" Bush, also last seen in The Giggle.
Discussing Mel's return, Langford said: "[Mel] felt she had to stop travelling the universe and actually, literally, get back to down to Earth and face the things she's been running away from."
Mel was originally a companion of the Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker) and then the Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and was a regular on the show from 1986 to 1987 prior to her recent guest appearances.
In pictures from set, Langford has been seen hopping on the back of a Vespa with Gatwa - so it's clear Mel and the Doctor are in for some adventures!
The trailer after the Christmas special also confirmed the return of Yasmin Finney as Rose Noble. Davies previously revealed that Rose's appearances would not end with the 60th anniversary specials, saying: "She’s absolutely terrific, and she has more appearances to come, simply because I adore working with her."
Elsewhere, Indira Varma - who previously played Suzie Costello in Russell T Davies's Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood - will return to the Whoniverse but as a new character named The Duchess. Not much has been revealed about her character, other than that she'll "unleash terror" on the world.
Additionally, Aneurin Barnard has been added in the role of a politician named Roger ap Gwilliam, while EastEnders icon Anita Dobson will portray a character named Mrs Flood, the next-door neighbour of Ruby Sunday.
Elsewhere, RuPaul's Drag Race icon Jinkx Monsoon has been added in a major role as a mysterious antagonist Davies has named as Maestro.
Upon the announcement of her new role, Monsoon said: "I'm honoured, thrilled, and utterly excited to join Doctor Who! Russell T Davies is a visionary and a brilliant writer – I can't wait to get into the weeds with him and the crew! I hope there's room in the TARDIS for my luggage."
Monsoon's Maestro will appear in The Devil's Chord, the season's second episode, which will see the Doctor and Ruby meeting The Beatles.
We also know who will be playing the Fab Four in the episode, with George Caple starring as Paul McCartney, James Hoyles as Ringo Starr, Phillip Davies as George Harrison and Chris Mason as John Lennon.
Meanwhile, Mindhunter and Frozen star Jonathan Groff will appear in the new episodes in a guest role, and will have scenes with the Doctor and Ruby in a Regency-set instalment.
Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies said: "This is an incredible coup, and a great honour, to get such a huge star striding on to our set. So strap on your space boots, this is going to be a blast!"
Rising star Lenny Rush has also been added to the guest cast, playing the character Morris. Davies teased that Morris will appear as part of a storyline exploring "the Doctor's greatest nightmare".
How many episodes are in Doctor Who season 14?
There will be eight episodes of Doctor Who season 14.
What are the Doctor Who season 14 episode titles?
The episode titles were confirmed on Easter Sunday 2024, with the eight episodes below.
- Space Babies - Writer: Russell T Davies. Director: Julie Anne Robinson.
- The Devil's Chord - Writer: Russell T Davies. Director: Ben Chessell.
- Boom - Writer: Steven Moffat. Director: Julie Anne Robinson.
- 73 Yards - Writer: Russell T Davies. Director: Dylan Holmes Williams.
- Dot and Bubble - Writer: Russell T Davies. Director: Dylan Holmes Williams.
- Rogue - Writer: Kate Herron and Briony Redman. Director: Ben Chessell.
- The Legend of Ruby Sunday - Writer: Russell T Davies. Director: Jamie Donoughue.
- Empire of Death - Writer: Russell T Davies. Director: Jamie Donoughue.
Doctor Who season 14 plot: What could happen?
We do have tidbits about the upcoming plot of Doctor Who season 14, with a synopsis teasing: "Within the upcoming series, audiences will see the Doctor and Ruby travel through time and space on adventures to unknown lands, to the Regency era in England, to outer space worlds and the sixties.
"This season will also see the return of Michelle Greenidge as Carla Sunday, Angela Wynter as Cherry Sunday and Anita Dobson as Mrs Flood as well as featuring an array of special guest stars including Jinkx Monsoon, Aneurin Barnard, Yasmin Finney, Jonathan Groff, Bonnie Langford, Jemma Redgrave, Lenny Rush and Indira Varma with more to be announced soon."
Davies has promised that we'll return to the church where Ruby was left as a baby, and that the mystery of who Mrs Flood is will be a "slow burn" and that we'll "eventually" find out more about her.
Speaking at the premiere of The Star Beast, Davies gave a hint about what season 14 will look like, suggesting we won't see the return of classic villains like the Daleks and Cybermen for a while.
He said: "It's very new. Ncuti's new and Millie [Gibson] is new, and it was new to us with Disney and the whole new era, as it were. So I didn't want to look... there are no Daleks, there are no Cybermen, I didn't want to look back too much."
However, he reiterated that he "loves" the Daleks and would be happy to bring them back later on during his second tenure helming the series.
In terms of the villains we can expect to see, there have already been plenty set up following the end of the 60th anniversary specials – from The One Who Waits to the Toymaker's legions, the return of the Master to The Meep's mysterious boss.
We know there will be an episode set in the Regency era, while another is set during the 1960s featuring The Beatles.
Davies has also promised change is ahead - something that began with the Christmas special, which marked a step into fantasy for the show.
Speaking in February 2022 about his shock return, he teased a "brand new ways of telling stories".
He said: "The truth of it is, everyone lies when they leave Doctor Who and says 'Oh, I've moved on!' – I've been thinking about it since I was three, so there's no way you stop thinking about it."
"There are things coming up that are brand new ways of telling stories that have never been done before, so it just feels new – I wouldn't have gone back if it wasn't feeling new," he added.
He went on to explain that Doctor Who has a unique appeal to writers, as each week brings its own distinct premise and characters.
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"I'm sitting here now, 10 pages away from a climax thinking, 'God, I've never been in this territory before – this is strange and new and hopefully I'll learn something out of it," added Davies.
"The reason why I've worked on 34 programmes in my life is that I don't normally like continuing series. That's why It's A Sin came to an end and I just moved on."
He concluded: "I just like looking at a new set of challenges every time and another blank page, but Doctor Who is always a blank page."
There have been rumours that former showrunner Steven Moffat will return to the show, but he appeared to shut down those suggestions at the 2024 Radio Times Covers Party, telling RadioTimes.com: "The truth is, it's fine without me."
The cast have given minor clues as to what to expect, with Michelle Greenidge telling RadioTimes.com: "What I will say is, when the series airs… I don't think the audience are going to be ready. It is incredible. The story arc, the writing... you'll be gripped. I'm so ecstatic with how things have played out."
However, for the most part, they're keeping it under wraps.
What's more, to mark the BBC's deal with Disney that will allow streamer Disney Plus to become the home of Doctor Who outside the UK and Ireland, Gatwa took part in a Doctor Who Q&A shared on Twitter (now X) and revealed what his ideal storyline would look like.
"I cannot wait to put my stamp on the character," he said. He also reveals where he would like his Time Lord to travel, saying: "I would take my TARDIS to Africa, I would take my TARDIS to Nigeria."
Adding that the location would give the Doctor the chance to interact with African mythology, he said: "I would love for the Doctor to meet the Orisha, which were a set of gods in Nigerian mythology, and I think that he'd have a lovely old time."
He also revealed that "there are some extraordinary storylines for this season".
Additionally, Gatwa quizzed Gibson in a video about her thoughts on Doctor Who and what it means to be a companion.
This new era, under the creative leadership of showrunner Russell T Davies, will not only include plenty of references to the show's past, including the return of beloved characters such as Bonnie Langford's Mel Bush, but will also be a totally fresh spin on the series, with the TARDIS team facing off against an array of new monsters.
Is there a trailer for Doctor Who season 14?
Yes! A trailer for the upcoming season was released after the 2023 Christmas special, while two further trailers have been released in subsequent months. You can watch all three below.
Full trailer:
Follow-up trailer:
Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer with episodes of the classic series also available on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial here.
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