David Tennant stars an exclusive scene for the BBC Children in Need broadcast as the Fourteenth Doctor with a mysterious new character, played by actor and comedian Mawaan Rizwan.
“It is then that the Doctor uncovers an age old mystery involving one of the his oldest foes…”
View this post on Instagram
According to Rizwan’s Spotlight CV, he plays a character named Mr Castavillian. Though he is a comedian, this is not a comedy skit. It is a five-minute scene written by Doctor Who Showrunner Russell T Davies specifically for BBC Children in Need, directed by Jamie Donoughue (who directed the two-part 2024 series finale), fully scored with music by Murray Gold, and completed with special effects. Rizwan appears to be wearing the uniform of a Kaled, one of the humanoid races which originally inhabited the Dalek’s home planet Skaro.
BBC Children in Need viewers will also get a glimpse at the creation of the scene. Companion series Doctor Who: Unleashed will also feature a special treat as part of the broadcast with an exclusive behind-the-scenes clip.
“Every year that I was on Doctor Who we did something for BBC Children in Need, so it only feels right to be doing something this year,” David Tennant said in a press release. “Children in Need is a national tradition, it’s certainly a BBC tradition and Doctor Who is part of that. I’m so glad we’re able to give Children in Need viewers this little extra treat.”
“It was such an unbelievable joy to work with my Whoniverse idols David Tennant and Russell T Davies,” Mawaan Rizwan said in the same press release. “My inner child was losing his mind on set.”
“Doctor Who has a fine tradition of supporting BBC Children in Need, and I hope that fans and new viewers alike will be able to watch, enjoy, and contribute to this wonderful cause,” Russell T Davies added.
BBC Children in Need will air on BBC One at 7pm on Friday 17 November. Both the exclusive scene, and an extended look behind the making of it, will also be found in the Whoniverse on iPlayer. To donate to BBC Children in Need, visit bbc.co.uk/pudsey
Doctor Who will return on 25 November 2023 with The Star Beast, the first of three Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials starring David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor and Catherine Tate as companion Donna Noble — followed by Wild Blue Yonder on 2 December and The Giggle on 9 December.
Ncuti Gatwa will star in his first full Doctor Who episode as the Fifteenth Doctor in the Doctor Who Christmas special The Church on Ruby Road alongside Millie Gibson as companion Ruby Sunday on 25 December.
A new 8-episode Doctor Who series starring Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson will debut in Spring of 2024 followed by the 2024 Christmas special later in the year.