Doctor Who writer shares verdict on Billie Piper regeneration twist: “It’s the ultimate cliffhanger”

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Mark Gatiss, a prominent figure in Doctor Who, called the Billie Piper twist at the end of the last season a truly unforgettable cliffhanger.

Ncuti Gatwa finished his run as the Time Lord in May’s ‘The Reality War,’ with the character regenerating into Piper, who fans will remember as Rose Tyler’s companion.

I wasn’t really aware of the details surrounding Ncuti Gatwa’s departure, or if he was originally planned to stay for three years but ended up leaving after two. It was definitely unexpected when he announced he was leaving, and it feels like a huge cliffhanger for the show.

This feels like a major turning point, similar to the dramatic finale of ‘The Reichenbach Fall.’ It really brings Billie’s story full circle, connecting everything from the 2005 series onward. Beyond that, though, the future is completely uncertain. I believe there’s a Christmas special planned, but after that, it’s anyone’s guess what will happen.

Alex Kingston, known for her role as River Song in the BBC’s sci-fi series, also shared her thoughts on the recent news. She expressed skepticism about the possibility of Piper being cast as the next Doctor, saying she doesn’t believe it will happen.

I was completely shocked by the Billie Piper reveal, and honestly, I’m still having trouble accepting it. It doesn’t make sense because she’s a human, not a Time Lord from Gallifrey.

Something feels off about all of this. I really don’t believe she’ll be the next Doctor, and even if she is, they’ll need to do a lot to change my mind – she isn’t from Gallifrey, after all!

Interestingly, when Piper came back to the show, her name wasn’t shown as ‘The Doctor’ in the episode’s credits. This made fans, just like Kingston, suspect there was a hidden reason behind it.

Piper recently shared how thrilled she was to return to the show she loves. She’s always expressed her fondness for the ‘Whoniverse’ and cherished her time there, so the chance to step back into the TARDIS was something she couldn’t pass up. She remained tight-lipped about the details, promising fans would have to wait to find out how, when, and why she’s returning.

Doctor Who will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this Christmas.

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Authors

Louise GriffinSci-Fi and Fantasy Editor

Hey, I’m Louise Griffin, and I basically get paid to geek out about sci-fi and fantasy! I’m the editor covering all things genre for TopMob – think Doctor Who, Star Wars, Marvel, House of the Dragon, Good Omens, you name it. Before this, I was a Senior Entertainment Reporter at Metro, and I actually studied English Literature, so I’ve always been a bit of a story person.

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2026-01-31 16:04