Billie Piper is returning to the world of Doctor Who.
The British actor will reprise the role of companion Rose Tyler for a new audio series produced by Big Finish, and devised by former showrunner Russell T Davies.
Titled Rose Tyler: The Dimension Cannon, the four-episode spin-off will follow the fan favourite as she jumps through dying parallel worlds in an attempt to locate the only person who can save it – her old friend, the Doctor. It’ll fill in the gaps from her dramatic exit at the climax of season two to her return in the season four episode, “The Stolen Earth”.
It will also mark the return of former Doctor Who stars Camille Coduri and Shaun Dingwall, who played Rose’s parents, Jackie and Pete. Mark Benton will also return as a new version of deceased alien investigator, Clive Finch.
Speaking about her return, Piper said: “I love how normal Rose is, and yet really extraordinary. She lived a normal average life but she is incredibly curious and has an enormous capacity for love and empathy and is really spirited.“
Producer David Richardson said: “I approached Russell T Davies with the idea of Big Finish making a Rose Tyler spin-off. He was very enthusiastic – as always – and suggested we followed Rose’s journey that ultimately leads to her finding the Doctor in ‘The Stolen Earth.’ I found the proposal irresistible.”
1/15 Rose Tyler
Companion to Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor and David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor, portrayed by Billie Piper
BBC
2/15 K9
Robotic dog who was companion to Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor
Paul Hudson
3/15 Rory Williams
Companion to Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor and husband of Amy Pond
BBC
4/15 Kamelion
Shape-shifting android who was companion to Peter Davison’s Fifth Doctor
5/15 Bill Potts
Companion to Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor
Getty
6/15 Captain Jack Harkness
Companion to Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor, portrayed by Jack Barrowman
Rex
7/15 Donna Noble
Companion to David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor
Rex
8/15 Susan
Very first companion to William Hartnell’s First Doctor, portrayed by Carole Ann Ford
PA
9/15 Leela
Companion to Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor, portrayed by Louise Jameson
PA
10/15 Clara Oswald
Companion to the Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors, portrayed by Jenna Coleman
PA
11/15 Amy Pond
Companion to Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor, portrayed by Karen Gillan
Rex
12/15 Sarah Jane Smith
Companion to Jon Pertwee’s Third and Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctors, portrayed by Elisabeth Sladen
PA
13/15 Nyssa, Adric and Tegan
Companion to Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor, portrayed by Sarah Sutton, Matthew Waterhouse and Janet Fielding respectively
PA
14/15 Martha Smith
Companion to David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor, portrayed by Freema Agyeman
PA
15/15 Ryan Sinclair, Yasmin Khan and Graham O’Brien
Companions to Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor
PA
1/15 Rose Tyler
Companion to Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor and David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor, portrayed by Billie Piper
BBC
2/15 K9
Robotic dog who was companion to Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor
Paul Hudson
3/15 Rory Williams
Companion to Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor and husband of Amy Pond
BBC
4/15 Kamelion
Shape-shifting android who was companion to Peter Davison’s Fifth Doctor
5/15 Bill Potts
Companion to Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor
Getty
6/15 Captain Jack Harkness
Companion to Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor, portrayed by Jack Barrowman
Rex
7/15 Donna Noble
Companion to David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor
Rex
8/15 Susan
Very first companion to William Hartnell’s First Doctor, portrayed by Carole Ann Ford
PA
9/15 Leela
Companion to Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor, portrayed by Louise Jameson
PA
10/15 Clara Oswald
Companion to the Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors, portrayed by Jenna Coleman
PA
11/15 Amy Pond
Companion to Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor, portrayed by Karen Gillan
Rex
12/15 Sarah Jane Smith
Companion to Jon Pertwee’s Third and Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctors, portrayed by Elisabeth Sladen
PA
13/15 Nyssa, Adric and Tegan
Companion to Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor, portrayed by Sarah Sutton, Matthew Waterhouse and Janet Fielding respectively
PA
14/15 Martha Smith
Companion to David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor, portrayed by Freema Agyeman
PA
15/15 Ryan Sinclair, Yasmin Khan and Graham O’Brien
Companions to Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor
PA
He added: “Russell guided us gently through the development – steering us towards ideas that worked brilliantly, ensuring things that needed improvement were fixed, and also throwing out the ideas that didn’t work. I’m absolutely delighted with what we have – a family drama about the end of worlds. It’s about love and loss and things that might have been.“
Piper was the first companion of the BBC’s revamped series, starring alongside Christopher Eccleston in 2005 and David Tennant in 2006. The brand new audio series will be released in September 2019.
Doctor Who‘s current season – its 11th – continues weekly on BBC One with Jodie Whittaker impressing critics as the first female version of the Time Lord.
