Nicola Coughlan Teases Her Role in Doctor Who with First Look: Bridgerton Star Joins Russell T. Davies’ Returning Show

Doctor Who fans have been given a first look at Nicola Coughlan on set after the Bridgerton star traded Regency-era London for Russell T.Davies and his revived science fiction franchise. 

The Irish actress will star alongside new Time Lord Ncuti Gatwa in the forthcoming Christmas special, but the extent of her role is yet to be disclosed by Davies and his team.   

A first look image shows Coughlan, 36, dressed in a modern red jacket and matching hat – a far cry from the ostentatious ballgowns she wore as socialite Penelope Featherington in Bridgerton. 

She said: ‘I’m excited to join the Whoniverse under the leadership of the inimitable Russell T Davies. I’ve been a fan of Ncuti Gatwa for some time and getting to share the screen with him as the Doctor has been an absolute joy.’  

Coughlan’s forthcoming appearance on the BBC show also follows a starring role in box-office smash Barbie, in which she played a Diplomat version of the iconic doll alongside Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.   

It is yet to be established whether or not her Doctor Who character – whose identity has not been confirmed – will remain beyond December’s Christmas special. 

‘This has been the most brilliant shoot, with Nicola lighting up the set and bringing joy, said show-runner Davies. ‘From Derry, via Bridgerton, to the TARDIS, it’s the trip of a lifetime.’  

Davies also revealed that he convinced David Tennant and Catherine Tate to reunite for the show’s 60th Anniversary before he was approached by BBC bosses.

The duo are set to reprise their roles as the titular Time Lord and his companion Donna Noble for a trio of specials later this month, 15 years after they last travelled in the TARDIS together.

And speaking in a Q&A ahead of the first special on November 25th, Davies has revealed that he convinced David and Catherine to return after they took part in a Who ‘tweetalong’ during the Covid lockdown in 2020.

‘I just love David and Catherine together, actually,’ he said. ‘And I love that TARDIS. David loved that set so much he thought it’d be absolutely brilliant to run around it like that. After eight takes, not quite so fun. He was worn out by the end.’

Davies added that it was Catherine who suggested she’d like to reprise her role as Donna in an upcoming episode.

‘Catherine said, ‘Oh, I’ve always loved Donna Noble and wouldn’t it be marvellous to make some more?’ And I went, ”Oh yeah, yeah, yeah,” like that. And then she asked David. She said, ”Would you make some more?” And he said he would, in a heartbeat,’ Russell said.

‘So then she told me that and I genuinely felt honour-bound to go to the BBC and say, ”Look, these two stars have just said they would love to come back.” I knew it was the 60th anniversary coming up. Simple as that.

‘So I just sent off that email about Christmas Eve or something – best Christmas present you ever had!’

‘All I got was a reply saying, ”Thank you. We’ll think about it.”

The first special, titled The Star Beast, is based on a 1970s Who comic strip about Beep The Meep, with Miriam Margolyes set to voice the alien.

‘It’s an old conversation from 1979 that I always loved,’ Davies said. ‘You’ve got Donna getting her memory back, so you need that, which kind of takes a whole episode, and you need an alien invasion at the same time.

Also set to star in the first special is Heartstoppers’ Yasmin Finney, who will play Donna’s daughter Rose, with Karl Collins and Jaqueline King reprising their roles as Shaun Temple and Donna’s mother Sylvia respectively.

Having joined forces with Disney+ to take Who in a global new direction, Davies said it’s been a ‘joy’ making the most of a bumper new budget on the show.

‘It’s not a Star Wars budget,’ he said. ‘Nonetheless, it’s more than most things I’ve made for the past 10 years added together. So learning how to do that has been a year-long process. But it was done with so much joy.’

He also revealed that viewers will learn why the Doctor has regenerated back into his old appearance, adding: ‘The mystery of his face does continue over the next two specials. It’s not a huge plot, but it has a nice payoff, actually. So keep tuning in.’

David and Catherine will front the trio of specials before Ncuti Gatwa takes over the role of The Doctor on Christmas Day, in an episode titled The Church On Ruby Road

Another big name joining the cast is Neil Patrick Harris and Davies admitted the actor had no idea what he was signing up for as he had never watched the show, and only worked with him on his Channel 4 series It’s A Sin.

He added: ‘Neil had never heard of it. In fact, he read the script and he phoned me up and said, ”So, the doctor is an alien?” He really was from scratch.

‘I was lucky enough to know him because I’d already worked with him on ‘It’s A Sin’, he was in the first episode and so glorious in that, and so we knew him.

‘He was perfect for this because Neil loves magic and magic tricks, and the Toymaker does play with cards and he does magic tricks and sleight of hands and all of that, and Neil already does that.’

Davies added: ‘He is phenomenal. That is a great villain who will scare you, he’s got so much range and had so much fun with it.’

The first Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Special – The Star Beast – will air on Saturday November 25th on BBC One and iPlayer in the UK, and Disney+ internationally.