Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has explained how the series hasn't "severed its roots" since its move to Disney.
On season 14 episode 'The Legend of Ruby Sunday', which aired last month, fans saw the surprise return of the franchise's most iconic monster, Sutekh the Destroyer.
Now, speaking to Doctor Who Magazine, Davies has explained why it was important for him to use a classic character like Sutekh, so fans would know the show hasn't changed.
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"I remember Nicola Shindler, a producer I work with, getting so excited about Agatha Harkness arriving in WandaVision. She thought it was the most brilliant reveal," Davies said.
"I asked her, 'Do you know who Agatha Harkness is?' She went, 'No, I've no idea!' And I'm fascinated by that – that you can introduce a character from the lore, who a modern viewer doesn't know, and yet they get the thrill of it."
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Davies continued: "Being on Disney Plus now, this is a very deliberate choice to bring back an old BBC enemy – we've even cast the same actor [Gabriel Woolf] – to prove that the show hasn't severed its roots. To delve into your backstory is a very fine thing. That's thrilling for new viewers, and for old viewers, it's a great reward."
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The showrunner explained how modern technology makes bringing back old Doctor Who characters even easier, as fans can easily discover their backstory.
"Also, you're guaranteed that the internet will do your work for you," he added.
"In the old days, you could feasibly have said, 'Will people know who Sutekh is?' Now, it's on our official site. It's on our Instagram posts. Type in the word 'Sutekh' and there's an entire Wikipedia article, full of the history."
Doctor Who airs on BBC One in the UK and Disney+ elsewhere. Classic episodes of Doctor Who are available on BBC iPlayer in the UK.
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After graduating with a degree in history from Queen Mary University, London, she studied journalism at Birkbeck University.
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