Doctor Who legend David Tennant in behind-the-scenes photos from beloved 20-year-old episode

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Doctor Who fans are in for a treat! The BBC recently released a collection of behind-the-scenes pictures from a fan-favorite episode of the show’s modern series.

The official Doctor Who social media accounts celebrated the 20th anniversary of the episode ‘The Girl in the Fireplace’ by sharing behind-the-scenes photos from the David Tennant years.

It’s been 20 years since “The Girl in the Fireplace” first aired! Here’s a look at how the show created the world of pre-revolutionary France with 51st-century technology.

These photos give a unique glimpse behind the scenes of the episode’s production. They show everything from the detailed palace sets and elaborate costumes to the lights and crew working to place the creepy, mechanical robots.

I was checking out some behind-the-scenes photos, and it’s cool to see David Tennant being prepped for one of the bigger scenes – they had him on this whole wheeled setup! There was also a shot of the director’s slate, so you can see Euros Lyn was directing and Rory Taylor was the cinematographer on that episode. It’s neat to get a peek at how everything comes together.

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The Instagram and Facebook posts included a delightful detail: a shot of Billie Piper’s Rose Tyler applying makeup, and another featuring David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor sitting with Sophia Myles’s Madame de Pompadour.

Originally aired in 2006, “The Girl in the Fireplace” was the fourth episode of the second series of the revived Doctor Who, and it’s remembered as one of the best episodes featuring David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor.

This episode, penned by Steven Moffat, featured the Doctor, Rose, and Mickey stumbling upon time portals that connected a spaceship from the 51st century to the world of Madame de Pompadour in 1700s France.

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Like classic episodes such as “Blink” and “Human Nature/The Family of Blood,” this story is still incredibly popular with fans. This is largely because it shows a more sensitive side of the Doctor and features a deeply emotional, yet poignant, conclusion.

TopMob recently published a ranking of all the Doctor Who scripts written by Steven Moffat in 2024, and ‘The Girl in the Fireplace’ came out on top.

You can now watch Doctor Who on BBC iPlayer. For a complete look at the show, check out our story guide, which includes reviews of every episode from 1963 to the present, plus information on the cast, crew, behind-the-scenes details, and exclusive content from the TopMob archive.

Authors

Ben Williams

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2026-05-06 17:34