Doctor Who is ramping up the celebration of its 60th anniversary, much of which revolves around a reunion fifteen years in the making. Catherine Tate and David Tennant are joining forces as Donna Noble and The Doctor again and, while that is slightly frightening if you’re familiar with why this reunion was never supposed to happen, fans are excited to see them back together. We now have a side-by-side photo of the duo from their first episodes 15 years ago up to their latest and, man, they’ve both have quite a glow-up.
Fans have surely seen plenty of footage of Donna Noble and The Doctor in the special, by this point. But the passage of time doesn’t fully hit until seeing the Doctor Who co-stars side-by-side from the past and present. Peep it out below, courtesy of the franchise’s official account, and see just how different they look:
That’s just a snippet of how the pair will appear in the special — which will be available for Disney+ subscription holders — but I’m impressed. There’s a lot to love about these photos, and it’s surreal seeing just how both actors have changed since they first appeared on the long-running sci-fi franchise.
Time Has Treated Both Stars Well
Both David Tennant and Catherine Tate look stunning and ready to perform a lot more than a handful of Doctor Who episodes. When seeing the image, I can’t help but imagine them starring on their own spinoff, in which The Doctor and Donna continue to travel the galaxy and defend it from injustice indefinitely. I’m still crossing my fingers for that possibility, though I’m not sure how that would work with Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor taking over in Season 14.
Doctor Who Stepped Up Its Fashion Game
The series has grown considerably since David Tennant and Catherine Tate’s first run, and I don’t think that’s any more evident in this picture than when it comes to the outfits. We’ve already seen Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor rocking some iconic outfits ahead of his debut, and it looks like Donna and Tennant’s iteration of the titular hero will be looking snazzy as well. That’s not to knock on their outfits from 15 years ago, but I much prefer the 2023 looks on them.
The Haircuts Do Wonders For Both Stars
I have to say that both Doctor Who stars really landed on sweet hairstyles these days and are absolutely killing it. Not many people can pull off bangs as well as Catherine Tate does in that photo, and David Tennant traded in his wild hair for a gelled-up look that really works for him.
Another interesting note on David Tennant’s ‘do is that it looks like there could be some red highlights in it. I know that since the trailers debuted, there have been theories that the Fourteenth Doctor has red hair. But I’m struggling to figure out whether this lates photo confirms further confirms that or if it’s just a trick of the lighting — and I’m already aware of the theories and I’m projecting. In any case, the wait is not that far off for some answers! In the meantime, let’s just bask in the glow of Tennant and Tate and appreciate the journey they’ve had.
Doctor Who will make its big debut on Disney+, starting with the 60th anniversary on November 2023. These latest photos already have me thrilled to see The Doctor and Donna back together again, and hoping the ending to their story is much happier than their last outing.