New Doctor Who 60th anniversary trailer hinted to drop before Eurovision

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Three cryptic Doctor Who 60th anniversary teasers were released on BBC One in the past three weeks, all with clues which mention Eurovision, the annual wildly-popular televised song contest which began in 1956.

Catherine Tate, who stars as Donna Noble in the three Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials, will deliver the results of the UK’s National Jury live from the Liverpool Arena at the end of the televoting window during the Eurovision Grand Final on Saturday 13 May 2023.

Since BBC One doesn’t have commercial breaks and the contest is rarely interrupted, the most likely time to air Doctor Who 60th anniversary content is immediately preceding the Eurovision broadcast at 8pm on 13 May.

Some new Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials footage has already been shown in the three teasers, which many fans have posted on social media. One fan in particular is adept at breaking down the clues.

The first two trailers contained new images from the first of the three specials, which the clues indicate is titled The Star Beast. Jamie Hayden is featured in the first trailer as UNIT operative Colonel Chan.

The third trailer contains images from the third special with Neil Patrick Harris, who is likely playing The Toymaker. He is seen drawing stage curtains, juggling balls and dancing among chaotic streets as the Doctor haplessly utters “…even in everyone’s head” while Harris’ villain is heard laughing.

Showrunner Russell T Davies said in Doctor Who Magazine that no scenes from the mysterious second Doctor Who 60th anniversary special were shown in the original trailer shown on 25 December 2022. The same is likely true of the three teasers.

Doctor Who will return in November 2023 with three 60th anniversary specials starring David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor and Catherine Tate as companion Donna Noble. In the following festive period, Ncuti Gatwa will star in his first full Doctor Who episode as the Fifteenth Doctor. Doctor Who Series 14 starring Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson will debut in 2024.