Moffat, who worked on the sci-fi show from 2010 until 2017, said that he did not have any insider information on Piper\u2019s role<\/a>, but feels that producers have hedged their bets.<\/p>\n \u201cThey have not said [she is the Doctor], so I do not know,\u201d Moffat told Radio Times<\/a>. \u201cI do not even know if they know.\u201d<\/p>\n Fans were shocked when Piper returned at the end of season 15<\/a>, when Ncuti Gatwa\u2019s time as the Doctor came to an end.<\/p>\n The actor, who played companion Rose Tyler, appeared to replace Gatwa<\/a> as the show\u2019s lead when the Doctor underwent a regeneration. Piper\u2019 described her return as a last-minute decision<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is such a minefield. I have to really engage with how I answer this,\u201d Piper told an audience about the appearance at Florida Supercon, according to Deadline.<\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n Billie Piper makes her surprise return in \u2018Doctor Who\u2019 (BBC)<\/p>\n \u201cAll I can say is, I was approached very last minute, and I can\u2019t talk about in what capacity, but I found it very emotional to film, and I think it\u2019s a really great ending.\u201d<\/p>\n Rose Tyler was the companion for both Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant\u2019s tenures as The Doctor. She appeared regularly on the show between 2005 and 2006 and was a supporting character during the 2008 season and also made a cameo in the 2010 New Year’s special.<\/p>\n It is yet to be confirmed whether Piper will actually be playing the 16th Doctor or if the show\u2019s producers have another trick up their sleeve.<\/p>\n Moffat, though, did offer some advice for the qualities the next person in the role should strive for. <\/p>\n \u201cAttractive, but odd,\u201d he said. \u201cThere’s something utterly odd, a sort of benevolent, kindly, slightly incompetent impersonation of a human being. The Doctor is never quite right.”<\/p>\n Moffat explained that the Doctor should be \u201coff-kilter\u201d, but someone that \u201clittle kids would want to run up and take that [person’s] hand and feel absolutely safe\u201d.<\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n Moffat worked on Doctor Who from 2010 until 2017 (Getty Images)<\/p>\n Moffat\u2019s comments arrive weeks after the BBC said Doctor Who<\/a> is \u201cgoing nowhere\u201d despite concern among the fandom.<\/p>\n The BBC\u2019s new chief content officer, Kate Phillips, promised to keep the British family favourite on screens.<\/p>\n![\"Billie](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Screenshot-2025-08-03-at-10-24-27.png\")
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