Russell T. Davies returned as Doctor Whoshowrunner in time for the show's 60th Anniversary. Davies' initial stint as showrunner, between 2005 and 2010, was widely considered one of the best periods of the show, leading audiences to have high expectations for the rest of his current tenure. Around the same time that Davies returned, Ncuti Gatwa was announced as the next Doctor, first appearing in the 2023 Christmas Special, 'The Church on Ruby Road.'