Doctor Who's SDCC Panel: Ncuti Gatwa Wants Alex Kingston In Doctor Who And 7 Other Reveals About The Upcoming New Season (2025)

The new Doctor Who wrapped up its first season but, as fans surely know, there's a lot more in store for those with a Disney+ subscription. It's known that there's a spinoff on the way and of course, another season of the flagship series. While viewers were gifted footage of the upcoming Christmas special (written by Steven Moffat) amid San Diego Comic-Con 2024, those who weren't present for the show's panel likely missed some of the other notable reveals made by the cast about the new season. Luckily, CinemaBlend was front-and-center amid the franchise's SDCC presentation and was keeping tabs on all of the big details that were shared. That includes a bit about Alex Kingston, who kicks off our entries after Ncuti Gatwa and the cast talked about needing her back for more episodes.

Alex Kingston Is The Cast’s Most Requested Guest Star

Russell T. Davies admitting the Doctor Who cast has begged him to bring back Alex Kingston doesn't necessarily tell us about the show's next season. However, I think it does tell us about the future. While the very Captain Jack-esque rogue is slated to be The Doctor's latest love interest, it seems there's a real desire on the star's part to bring back The Doctor's wife. Actors don't always get what they want, of course, but I think their voices, in addition to the scores of fans who want to see Kingston return, may ultimately sway Davies to write the character into a future story. Needless to say, that notion makes me very excited.

Jonah Hauer-King Is Joining The New Season

Millie Gibson was very excited to reveal that actor Jonah Hauer-King was added to Who and will play a role that factors into Ruby Sunday's arc in the upcoming season. It's unclear exactly how the star who originally got too ripped to play Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid will play into the situation, but it's possible that he could be a love interest of Ruby or just a good friend. Either way, it's exciting to have another promising young actor on board, and it's remarkably clear at this point that one of the producers' goals is to try and pull in a younger audience with some of these castings.

The Name Of Varada Sethu’s New Character Is Belinda Chandra

Varada Sethu plays The Doctor's latest companion, but this will mark the second she's appeared on the show. She starred in the acclaimed episode "Boom" as Mundy Flynn amid Ncuti Gatwa's first season, but that will not be Sethu's role when she returns as a companion. The actress will play "Belinda Chandra," but that's essentially all we know about her at this point. While it wouldn't be the first time a guest star turned into a series lead (as Karen Gillan had the same experience), I have a feeling that this casting isn't simply a case of the producers tapping a Who alum for a bigger role. I believe Sethu's reappearance in a new role may figure into the narrative.

Nicola Coughlan Is The Big Guest Star Of The Christmas Special

Another Bridgerton star is joining the Doctor Who fold, as Nicola Coughlan will be playing Joy in the upcoming Christmas special "Joy To The World." Coughlan, who confirmed she hung out naked on the Bridgerton set, is the perfect star for this part. I can't wait to see her as Joy, and the short clip that featured her in the role was fantastic. Admittedly, it was confusing as to why The Doctor was traveling around offering up a ham and cheese sandwich with a pumpkin latte across time and space, but I guess that's a question fans will just have to wait on the answer for.

There Will Be A Lot More Mrs. Flood In The New Season

There have been a lot of questions since Doctor Who's latest season ended, but the biggest one of all is who Mrs. Flood really is. The mystery only deepened in the two-part season finale, in which she seemed very much aware of all the events happening, yet that didn't factor into the story in a major way. That fact, paired with her extensive knowledge of The Doctor and her ability to break the fourth wall, makes her the most compelling character headed into the new season. Hopefully, we'll figure out who she really is.

Doctor Who Will Continue The Singing

If you loved the musical numbers in "The Church On Ruby Road" or "The Devil's Chord," then I have excellent news. Russell T. Davies confirmed at SDCC that there will be more music in the upcoming season of Who, and he doesn't see that trend stopping anytime soon. I'm sure there will be some who grumble and groan about that but, even as someone who is not a fan of musical numbers, I'm completely fine with it. This is a unique element that sets Ncuti Gatwa's era of the franchise apart from those of his predecessors, and he and Millie Gibson have some serious pipes, too.

Ruby’s Next Story Arc Will Involve PTSD

As has been known, Ruby Sunday will eventually return to travel with The Doctor. Unfortunately, her next chapter won't be without issues, as Doctor Who will look into tackling a difficult reality some companions may face when traveling with The Doctor. Russell T. Davies stated that Ruby will wrestle with PTSD, perhaps as a result of the amount of times that she was put in peril when traveling with her esteemed ally the first time around.

Kylie Minogue Watched "Rogue"

While this final tidbit isn't really tied to a future season, it still tickled me to no end. Russell T. Davies explained to the attendees that when he was watching The BBC airing of "Rogue," he was surprised to receive a text from none other than pop singer Kylie Minogue. As it turned out, Minogue was also watching the episode and was just as surprised as fans when The Doctor played her song "Can't Get You Outta My Head" on Rogue's ship. Davies admitted that he was shocked to have learned she was keeping up with the show after her one-off appearance as Astrid Peth back in 2007.

Apparently, there will be a lot to look forward to when Doctor Who returns to Disney+ with new episodes beginning around Christmas time. I know I'm already counting down the days after all the reveals at San Diego Comic-Con, and I can't wait to hear more about this upcoming season as it gets closer. In the meantime, keep checking the 2024 TV schedule so you'll know what the premiere date is.