Posted in: BBC, Doctor Who, Preview, TV | Tagged: bbc, billie piper, david tennant, doctor who

Doctor Who: David Tennant Praises "Hugely Creative" Billie Piper

Published Fri, 04 Jun 2021 11:09:10 -0500

As fans await updates on how things are rolling along with the upcoming eight-episode Series 13 of BBC's Doctor Who, the social media rumor mill has been shifting into overdrive with all sorts of speculation. Jodie Whittaker and showrunner Chris Chibnall are leaving! Mandip Gill is leaving! Jo Martin will be the next Doctor! There are going to be two Doctors! Dan (John Bishop) is the Master! Okay, we just made that last one up but you know what we mean, right? So when we get a chance to take a break from it and cover some of the nicer, more positive aspects of the franchise, we like to take it. Case-in-point? David Tennant, who had some incredibly sweet and kind words for his one-time, long-time traveling companion Billie Piper (Rose Tyler).

Speaking with the RadioTimes, Tennant explained the respect and admiration he has for Piper for being able to find "a place for herself in the creative community where all her multiple skills can be utilized"- referencing both the series I Hate Suzie that she co-created and stars in but also feature film Rare Beasts, which Piper directed, wrote, and stars in. "Billie's always been hugely creative and brilliant and it was so exciting to see her doing a massive central performance as well as co-creating and producing. Someone who I knew to be so extraordinary being allowed to do that on telly, unfettered and uncensored. It was a joy to behold, and now she's got a feature film," Tennant added.

As we mentioned earlier, Chibnall and the team are already hard at work on Series 13 production, revealing earlier this year, "We're filming as we speak. We've got lots of new characters, new monsters, some old ones coming back. We're only a few weeks in. It's very different, but we obviously have to work in a very different way, under COVID protocols. So, it's not without its challenges, but every series of 'Doctor Who' has had its challenges. At the moment, everybody's smiling." Now for the question that we're sure he's going to hear a lot over the next several months: so when will viewers be able to see it? Surprisingly, it sounds like Chibnall does know- it's just that there are some "higher powers" out there who would prefer he stay quiet for now. "Yeah, I've got an idea," Chibnall answered with a laugh. "But Charlotte Moore (BBC Chief Content Officer) would send 'the boys' round if I told you any hints. As soon as finish it, I promise we'll put it on telly straight away."

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