Doctor Who series 13 star returning in new role for next special

Doctor Who's New Year's Day special followed with a teaser trailer for the next special titled Legend of the Sea Devils.

Other than the footage shown in the trailer, not much else is known about Jodie Whittaker's second 2022 special – her penultimate before regenerating.

However, new details have emerged in Doctor Who Magazine, including news of a series 13 star returning in a brand-new role.

a sea devil appears in a preview photo for the doctor who spring special 2022

James Pardon//BBC

Executive producer Matt Strevens told the magazine: "It's a bit of a swashbuckler. It's the last 'regular' adventure story before you go into the machinations of a regeneration story."

The episode will bring back a familiar Doctor Who villain from the classic era: the Sea Devils, which the Doctor faced in various incarnations.

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Whittaker will obviously return as the 13th Doctor, with Mandip Gill and John Bishop playing her companions and Crystal Yu, Arthur Lee, and Marlowe Chan-Reeves joining them in the adventure.

Craige Els will also be appearing in the new special, after starring in almost every episode of Doctor Who: Flux as the dog-faced alien Karvanista.

He has been credited as Marsissus, but as we saw no dog-like characters in the trailer, it has been speculated by Radio Times that he is playing the main Sea Devil shown in the teaser.

BBC

Show runner Chris Chibnall has co-written the episode with Ella Road, a playwright and screenwriter known for writing the Olivier-nominated play The Phlebotomist.

Strevens said: "Chris is a superfan, as we know, so for him it was really important that we did the Sea Devils justice. He was really keen to stick close to the classic design."

The special will see the team land in a small coastal village in 19th century China under threat by the legendary villains and the fearsome pirate queen Madame Ching. A release date for the special has not been announced yet.

Doctor Who will air two more specials later this year on BBC One in the UK. In the US, the show airs on BBC America, with series 1-12 available on HBO Max.

For more information on Doctor Who: Time Fracture, head this way – tickets are also available via retailers including LOVEtheatre, London Theatre Direct, Fever and Ticketmaster.