Doctor Who Writer Teases Return Of Classic Franchise Villain

Former Doctor Who writer Mark Gatiss teases the return of the classic villain the Celestial Toymaker who first appeared in the eponymous 1966 serial.

Former Doctor Who writer Mark Gatiss has hinted at the return of one of the franchise’s oldest villains for the show’s upcoming 60th anniversary. Gatiss penned nine episodes between 2005 and 2017, making him one of the longest-serving writers of the revival. Russel T. Davies’ return as showrunner has seen him become the show’s longest serving writer, having revived it in 2005. Also returning is David Tennant who has surprisingly taken up the mantle of the Fourteenth Doctor, as he will occupy the role for three special episodes before handing over the TARDIS keys to Ncuti Gatwa, who has been officially revealed as the Fifteenth Doctor.

Speaking with the Radio Times, Gatiss has admitted that since he no longer writes for Doctor Who, he isn’t in the loop with upcoming plot lines and the direction of the show anymore. However, he remains friends with Davies, who told him about Jodie Whittaker’s regeneration into Tennant before the episode aired. Given this, it doesn’t seem like an impossibility that Davies would share some small details with Gatiss, who has hinted at the reappearance of a classic villain, the Celestial Toymaker, with some choice wording. His full quote can be read below:

But no, I know nothing. I really know nothing. I haven’t a clue. And that’s a lovely feeling, to just be watching as a viewer. I’ve no idea what the structure is, or what’s happened. Who is David? He is the Fourteenth Doctor, isn’t he? So what’s happened? Who has done that? The only clue is, he says, ‘I don’t know who I am anymore.’ I suspect some kind of celestial intervention!

Related: David Tennant’s Doctor Who Return Sets Up Perfect Villain Twist

Who Is The Celestial Toymaker?

The Celestial Toymaker, speculated to be the character being portrayed by Neil Patrick Harris, is a classic Doctor Who villain who first appeared in the William Hartnell serial of the same name, which spanned four episodes in the season 3 of the show in 1966. To date, this is his only televised appearance, but he may now be making another, 57 years later. An immortal villain, the Celestial Toymaker may have orchestrated the Doctor’s regeneration, which would explain why they’ve returned to a previous face. As an immortal, the Toymaker seeks distraction in the form of games, and so he could be playing with the Doctor by meddling with their regeneration.

Though three of the four episodes of the original serial have unfortunately been lost by the BBC, a novelization of the story reveals the Celestial Toymaker to be a being of god-like power who originates from a different universe altogether and doesn’t adhere to the physical laws of the Whoniverse, as it is known. He fabricates games that can result in participants being stuck in his realm. The Celestial Toymaker’s almost unlimited powers make him one of the most dangerous villains in Doctor Who history.

Is David Tennant Really The Doctor?

The revelation that the Celestial Toymaker could potentially be a huge part of the Doctor Who 60th anniversary trilogy set to air late next year has led fans to speculate whether Tennant’s fourteenth incarnation is really the Doctor at all. Given the Toymaker’s huge power, there is every possibility that Tennant’s return is yet another of his games. Having previously been able to turn the Doctor invisible and mute at will, it seems like manipulating their regeneration would be a simple feat, with Davies himself having suggested that Tennant’s Doctor could be “an intricate illusion created by an old enemy.” At this early point, all evidence seems to be pointing towards the Celestial Toymaker as the ultimate villain of Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary when the show returns November 2023.

Next: How David Tennant Will Be Different As The Fourteenth DoctorSource: Radio Times