Doctor Who’s Russell T Davies is already teasing plot details for Ncuti Gatwa’s second season

The first of Ncuti’s Gatwa’s seasons as Doctor Who hasn’t even aired – and showrunner Russell T Davies is already teasing details of his appearance in season two.

Though three specials of Doctor Who aired during 2023’s festive period as a sixtieth anniversary celebration, fans are yet to see Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa’s first full turn as the titular Time Lord of the BBC’s long running sci-fi show, which was rebooted in 2005.

Although the upcoming season is the fourteenth series since Doctor Who was rebooted, it is being referred to in promotional material as “Season One” following the acquisition of Doctor Who’s international broadcasting rights by Disney+.

The show is now back under the guidance of original showrunner Russell T Davies, and several trailers have already dropped various hints at what’s in store for the inhabitants of the TARDIS, the role of Jinkx Monsoon’s villainous character, and where Yasmin Finney’s Rose will end up during season one.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, though, Davies (who spearheaded the show’s 2005 revival until 2010) has dropped a huge hint about what season two could involve.

Fans previously assumed that Coronation Street star Millie Gibson, who plays companion Ruby Sunday, would only appear in Gatwa’s first season after reports surfaced that newcomer Varada Sethu had joined the fray – but Ruby (whether in person or not) is a huge plot point moving forward, Davies confirmed.

“That story’s going to be the spine of the whole show,” Davies said, referring to Ruby and the Doctor’s similar shared histories as orphans with mysterious origins.

“We’re heading into season two, and my God, Ruby Sunday is important to that,” Davies says. “There’s good stuff to come.”

Fans have also shared their hopes that comedian John Bishop’s character will return. Bishop played Dan, a companion to Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor. Fans have called for a return for Dan in Doctor Who season two, with one tweeting: “I’d love an evil dan rtd episode.”

Elsewhere in the same interview, Davies confirmed why he returned to the show after a 13 year absence.

“It was one of those times in my life where people said, ‘Oh, you can do anything you want now,’” he said.

“It’s very rarely true for a writer, but actually, that was one of those moments when I thought, ‘Okay, I can do whatever I want.’ So, to turn around and tell my agency, ‘I’m going back to Doctor Who,’ it was quite a moment.”

When does Doctor Who return?

The first two episodes of the fourteenth season season one – “Space Babies” and “The Devil’s Chord”, will air on the same day, 11 May.

They will land on BBC iPlayer at midnight, before airing back-to-back later that evening ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest final, and following episodes will air every Saturday until late June.

International Doctor Who fans will be able to watch the new season on Disney+.