Doctor Who writer Steven Moffat has given a disappointing update regarding one big fan hope.
In the show's recent Christmas special, 'Joy to the World', viewers were introduced to Anita (Steph de Whalley), the manager whom the Doctor befriends at the Sandringham Hotel.
Some fans had hoped to see Anita again, though Moffat has now poured cold water on the theories, confirming she was a "one off" character.
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"She is, like all great things in Doctor Who, and this is a fact you can take from me, because I know my Doctor Who facts – all great things in Doctor Who are the result of a budget cut," he told the Radio Times.
"The spaceship looks like a phone box. Why? Because of a budget cut. That's exactly what Anita was, because we couldn't afford to send Ncuti Gatwa around the world trying to find another hotel."
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Moffat described the relationship as a "sort of quasi-romance", adding: "Anita is a budget cut, but that means in Doctor Who terms, that means Anita is one of the best things that happened."
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It comes after the writer recently revealed that the episode cut a longer scene that involved the Doctor using his wits to try and access the Time Hotel's upper floors.
The BBC show is currently gearing up for Gatwa's second season as the Doctor, and recently unveiled a slate of writers for the next set of episodes – namely Juno Dawson, Sharma Angel-Walfall, Pete McTighe, and Inua Ellams.
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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Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International. Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.
