Doctor Who season 12 saw the shocking return of John Barrowman as Captain Jack in its fifth episode, but it stopped short of pairing the fan favorite Time Agent up with Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor. This left the door open for a further appearance from the character, then, and sure enough, we now know that Jack is coming back again in this year’s holiday special, “Revolution of the Daleks.”
Earlier today, the BBC revealed Barrowman’s return with our first clip from the episode. The 15-second video opens on a black screen, with the wheezing, groaning noise of the TARDIS heard. The picture then appears, showing an excited Jack. “Ohh I’ve missed that sound,” he admits. And it’s safe to say fans have missed him, too.
A press release on the official Doctor Who website confirms more about the episode, including a promo image of Barrowman in costume as Jack in front of the TARDIS. Prior to his return in season 12, it’d been 9 years since he last played the role in live-action, following the cancellation of spinoff Torchwood after four seasons in 2011. And in response to his second comeback in recent times, he told DoctorWho.TV the following:
“Putting on Jack’s coat and setting foot back on the set of Doctor Who was just like going back home. It’s always thrilling to play Captain Jack. He’s a character very close to my heart who changed my life, and to know the fans love him as much as I do makes his return even sweeter. I hope everyone enjoys Jack’s Heroic adventure with Thirteen.”
Showrunner Chris Chibnall, meanwhile, promised that Jack will do his best to blow away the 2020 blues, saying:
“A Doctor Who Festive Special means treats galore, and there’s no bigger treat than the return of John Barrowman to Doctor Who, for an epic and emotional feature-length episode. If anyone can blast away the sheer rubbishness of 2020, it’s Captain Jack. Daleks beware!”
And finally, EP Matt Strevens added:
“After a tantalisingly brief appearance in Fugitive of the Judoon it’s a total joy and thrill to welcome back John as Captain Jack. One of the most iconic characters in Doctor Who lore, his presence ignites this Festive Special from the start.”
We still don’t have a trailer for the special or even a release date, but this announcement has definitely got us even more hyped for Doctor Who‘s return during the festive season. Further details are promised to materialize soon as well, so stay tuned.