TV & Showbiz

Doctor Who fans left scratching their heads over new star following ‘surprise’ regeneration

Here's a clue... violets are blue.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 2nd June 2025

Thousands of Doctor Who fans have been left scratching their heads following the most recent season finale and yet another regeneration that absolutely NO ONE was expecting.

Seriously, if you predicted this, then you’re just lying.

Following the series 15 conclusion – or rather the ‘second’ under the Disney+ umbrella – which saw Ncuti Gatwa vacate the moniker after just two series, showrunner Russell T Davies made his first real big splash since returning to the franchise.

If you’re looking for just one singular meme that sums up the general audience’s reaction to the episode, look no further:

Doctor Who remains one of the most iconic British TV shows of all time, but it’s fair to say it hasn’t been without its ups and downs over the years, and this latest turn has proved just as divisive.

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After being first brought back from a 16-year hiatus following the sci-fi series’ original run from 1963 to 1989, the latest iteration is now two decades and six new Doctors in.

Or is that seven?…

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Sex Education star Gatwa may be the 15th Doctor all told (with David Tennant’s own mini return marking number 14), but it looks like the latest might be former reboot star Rose Tyler herself, a.k.a. Billie Piper.

Remaining tight-lipped on social media, Billie has said little more than fans will have to “wait and see”, as well as her cryptic “a rose is a rose” post; as for the BBC themselves, they have only offered a press release, teasing that “just how and why she [Billie Piper] is back remains to be seen…”

In case you haven’t seen it yet, let’s all watch it together in real time, shall we?

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What a surprise!

While there are plenty of clues and theories now being picked apart by so-called ‘Whovians’, we have little more evidence than the scene itself and the final line in the end credits of the episode, which read: “Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor. Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor. And introducing Billie Piper”.

Plenty of fans are obviously over the moon to see the 42-year-old back on board, regardless of the circumstances, but it hasn’t stopped them from tying themselves up in knots of confusion, especially given the very obvious canon questions posed following the reveal.

For anyone not even remotely clued up on her connection to the show, Billie Piper previously played Rose Tyler – the first companion of the modern era, who has returned for a number of cameos in the past – but (no spoilers), having her return as not just a different character but THE Doctor seems rather complex.

Nevertheless, the speculation that has ensued online since the reveal has been enjoyable on both sides of the argument.

Since the recent rebrand to make the show more palatable to American and global viewers, there has been a noticeable increase in the community’s presence online.

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One overseas fan wrote X: “It’s been 20 years and Rose Tyler is still my favourite companion, she was my first after all. In whatever incarceration Billie Piper shows up as, it just reminds me of being a teen again, being introduced to this wild British TV show on the SciFi channel.

As far as our opinion, we’re only casual Doctor Who fans, but we can’t lie, we’re pretty excited to see whatever they have in store.

What do you make of the whole thing? Is Billie Piper really going to become the new Doctor and, if so, are you on board, or are you in the camp of it’s a bit of opportunistic lip service for fans?

Read more:

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Featured Images — BBC (press images/screenshot)

TV & Showbiz

Castlefield is being transformed into Gotham amidst more Hollywood filming in Greater Manchester

Danny Jones Danny Jones Clayface Batman villain DC movie filming in Castlefield, Manchester

Castlefield, with its iconic viaduct and cobbled streets, is once again being used for big-budget filming as the latest Batman/DC Universe title, Clayface, looks to be setting up in the eye-catching Manc corner.

Whether it’s football kit reveals and brand shoots, BBC dramas or the next upcoming Netflix series, production crews can’t get enough of Castlefield, it would seem.

For those who hadn’t heard, work on the new Clayface movie revolving around the cult favourite Batman villain is well underway, and the North West has been used as the backdrop on multiple ocassions this month already.

You can see early glimpses of the set being put together down below.

https://x.com/TheMancUK/status/1967944490360226167

Come on, how cool is it that we get to stumble on stuff like this right on our doorstep so often?

Speaking to The Manc, a source detailed that the set is being assembled today (Tuesday, 16 September) ahead of a single day of principal photography on what we can only assume is more Clayface filming sometime tomorrow.

While she could not confirm with us directly, she said, “If you’re a comic book nerd and look at the posters, you’ll be able to figure it out.” We’ve certainly been studying all the easter eggs already.

It might not quite be as dark and gritty as Gotham City, but this particular part of Manchester has been used in TV and film – especially period dramas – many times for good reason.

The Victorian-era steel structure, dark red brick and overall industrial aesthetic work so well when it comes to creating a believable and cinematic world.

Besides perhaps the most famous instance of Peaky Blinders shooting in these parts, you can add multiple music videos, several Manchester United and Man City shirt launches, and so many more that we’re starting to lose track.

As for Clayface, this isn’t even the first time the upcoming DC ‘body-horror’ flick has popped up in Greater Manchester.

Last week saw the equally striking Art Deco facade of the old The Plaza Super Cinema in Stockport turned into a fictional movie premiere to stunning effect:

We can’t get enough of stuff like this; we know there have been plenty of instances of Hollywood films and various TV projects utilising our streets and increasingly recognisable surroundings, but it still makes us feel like excited little kids.

Speaking of, another childhood favourite is filming here in Manchester right now, too.

Besides perhaps the most famous instance of Peaky Blinders shooting in these parts, the new Narnia adaptation by Greta Gerwig may just be one of the biggest projects that has ever landed underneath the familiar ‘birdcage’.

ln fact, it just so happens that there are actually multiple noteworthy small and silver screen works fighting over the Castlefield shooting schedule at the moment…

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group

TV & Showbiz

Warrington-born Adolescence star Owen Cooper becomes youngest ever male Emmy winner

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Owen Cooper Emmys

Owen Cooper has made history.

The Warrington-born actor who burst onto the scene as a newcomer in the Netflix smash-hit drama series Adolescence, starring alongside other big names like Stephen Graham, Erin Doherty, and Ashley Walters, has become the youngest winner ever in any male acting category at last nights Emmy Awards 2025.

He took home the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series.

At just 15 years old, Cooper beat out his fellow co-star Ashley Walters for the award, as well as other renowned actors like Javier Bardem, Peter Sarsgaard, and Rob Delaney.

Adolescence, if you haven’t had a chance to watch it yet, is a four-part limited series about a 13-year-old boy who is accused of murdering one of his classmates – with each episode remarkably being filmed in one unflinching and continuous shot.

The truly gripping story unfolds in real time as the main characters search for answers in the wake of a shocking tragedy.

Who is actually responsible? Why did it happen? And could it have been prevented? 

Adolescence
Adolescence gained universal critical acclaim when it debuted on Netflix earlier this year / Credit: Netflix

Cooper was a complete screen newcomer starring as the young boy Eddie Miller, accused of murder, and the show tells the story of how a family’s world is turned upside because of it.

Taking to the stage to accept his award last night, Cooper – who began taking weekly acting lessons with The Drama Mob here in Manchester – said: “[The win] is just so surreal. Honestly, when I started these drama classes a couple years back, I didn’t expect to be even in the United States, never mind [at The Emmys].

“So I think tonight proves that if you listen and you focus and you step out your comfort zone, you can achieve anything in life.”

Elsewhere on the night, Adolescence cleaned up as a whole.

Co-creator and star of the show, Stephen Graham, took home the Best Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series award, as well as a Writing award alongside co-writer Jack Thorne, while Erin Doherty claimed the Best Supporting Actress accolade in the same category, and director Philip Barantini won the Best Director award.

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And of course, to top off all those brilliant acting and technical wins, the show Adolescence itself also won Best Limited or Anthology Series.

You can watch Owen Cooper’s acceptance speech in full here.

Featured Image – Television Academy / Emmys (via YouTube)

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