Doctor Who has been around for decades and will be celebrating its 60th anniversary in November. One actor who appeared in the first Doctor Who series expressed interest in joining the show for its upcoming anniversary.
Doctor Who first aired on November 23, 1963, until December 6, 1989. Screenwriter and TV producer Russell T Davies revived the show in 2005 and it has been airing since. Thus, the show has been around for nearly 60 years, with over 800 episodes across all seasons. The first series introduced the fans to the Time Lord, known as the Doctor, who travels time and space in a timeship or capsule more known as the TARDIS. The only surviving cast member from the first Doctor Who series is willing to join the series to mark its 60th anniversary.
The first Doctor Who series starred William Hartnell as the First Doctor, Jacqueline Hill as Barbara Wright, William Russell as Ian Chesterton, and Carole Ann Ford as Susan Foreman. Ford’s character was the granddaughter of the Doctor. She was a teenager at the time who showed a strong sense of curiosity and adventure. She joined The Doctor in his travels in the TARDIS. The current Doctor Who series starring Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor has made several mentions of Ford’s character. Ford appeared at the recent Luton Comic Con, where she shared her interest in returning to the series. However, she admitted that if that would happen, it “would be very emotional..very emotional,” BBC reported. “I don’t know if I could survive the excitement actually, it would be intense beyond all intensity,” Ford added.
Ford, 84, is the last member of the original cast following Russell’s death in June. The actress said her return to the show would bring back tons of memories with her previous co-stars, who were no longer with her. So, it would definitely be a poignant experience. “It’s not just returning, it would bring back all the memories of William Russell and Jackie and Bill [William Hartnell] and various other people who aren’t with us anymore,” she explained. “I might be a little bit overcome and start blubbing. I keep being reminded I’m the last one standing and it’s not something I’m happy to hear.” Russell’s character in the first series was a science teacher and he was the Doctor’s first companion. He left the show in 1965 and reprised his role by making a cameo in Jodie Whittaker’s final episode, “The Power of the Doctor,” in 2022. His return to the franchise after 57 years and 120 days earned him the Guinness World Record for the longest gap between TV appearances. Ford’s potential return to Doctor Who is still uncertain. According to her, she would understand that it would be difficult to write her character since it had been 60 years, but Ford was hopeful showrunner Davies would say “yes.”
Doctor Who has brought several characters from the previous series into its recent seasons. For instance, Bonnie Langford returned as Melanie “Mel” Bush, the Sixth Doctor and Seventh Doctor’s companion, in Gatwa’s season as the Fifteenth Doctor. There are always ways to bring back a character if the production wants it. Marking the show’s 60th anniversary with a familiar face, much more an original cast member, is a moving way to mark the event. Doctor Who is still over a month away from its anniversary; hopefully, Davies will give a go signal to Ford’s cameo.
Doctor Who streams on Disney Plus outside the United Kingdom.
