Doctor Who fans are currently on cloud nine following the confirmation that David Tennant is the Fourteenth Doctor. He’s returning just in time to lead a trilogy of specials to come in 2023 for the never-ending, sci-fi series’ 60th anniversary. Although Tennant is clearly more than happy to return as the Time Lord, another former Doctor has made it abundantly clear he has no interest whatsoever in setting foot in the TARDIS once more.
While speaking to RadioTimes.com at the premiere of his new Amazon Prime Video series, The Devil’s Hour, Peter Capaldi was naturally asked the inevitable question of whether he’d like to pull a Tennant and play the the Doctor again. The Suicide Squad star wasted no time in shooting the idea down, although he did stress that he still loves Doctor Who and is excited to see where his fellow Scot steers the ship next.
“I don’t think so, no,” Capaldi said in response to the notion of any kind of comeback to the Whoniverse. “I love Doctor Who. I love it in all its forms, you know, but I’ve sort of done my time on it, and I like the idea that you leave that as it is instead of constantly digging up more of it, you know? But I think the show’s wonderful, and I look forward to seeing what happens next.”
When quizzed on what he thinks about the fans still loving the Twelfth Doctor so dearly, even five years after he regenerated into Jodie Whittaker, Capaldi agreed that he’s incredibly touched by the enduring love for his incarnation of the time traveler. “It’s lovely. It’s very sweet, very sweet,” the 64-year-old gushed. “It’s very nice.”
Capaldi’s opinion appears to be an unusual one among the Doctors, as an absolute ton of them just showed up in the centenary special, and Whittaker has admitted that she’s already had talks about a potential return as Thirteen as soon as possible, maybe even for the 60th anniversary. The same goes for Matt Smith, so whatever happens in Doctor Who next year, don’t hold your breath for a Capaldi cameo.
