Following last week’s release of a brilliant trailer and an epic promo image for Doctor Who‘s upcoming seventh series, the BBC has announced the return of former-Doctor Richard E. Grant to the British science fiction franchise. The 55-year-old actor, best known for his role in the 80s British cult classic film Withnail & I, has joined the cast of the upcoming Doctor Who Christmas Special and is rumored to be playing the episode’s villain.
For the uninitiated, Grant played the Doctor in the Scream of the Shalka flash-animated miniseries that was released in 2003. It was the first officially licensed, fully animated, Doctor Who story. Originally meant as an official continuation of the series that ended in 1989, the revival of the program in 2005 effectively relegated Grant’s incarnation of the Doctor to ‘non-cannon’ status.
Now almost a decade later, Grant will join the ‘official’ Doctor Who universe as he stars alongside the current Doctor, played by Matt Smith, and his new companion, played by Jenna-Louse Coleman, in her series debut.
While the Christmas Special is still some months away, fans won’t have to wait long to revisit the TARDIS, as the seventh series is expected to debut sometime this month.
Will you be tuning in to the Doctor’s return? Let us know in the comments.
