Dr Who's David Tenant joins other 10 Time Lords for one-off show

Dr Who's David Tennant will be joined by all the 10 other incarnations of the Time Lord for a special one-off edition of the BBC One programme.

David Tennant
David Tennant will get a helping hand from his predecessors to carry out a mission Credit: Photo: BBC

The cameo appearances will come during the first episode featuring the 11th doctor, Matt Smith, 26. He will be joined by Tennant, Christopher Eccleston and old favourites including Tom Baker, Peter Davison and Sylvester McCoy.

The 15 minute programme will be shown in November as part of the BBC's Children In Need charity appeal and all the actors have waived their fees.

It is the third time the doctors have been reunited for charity: in 1983, the five doctors were brought together for Children in Need and in 1993, the same charitable cause saw doctors three to seven brought together for the Dimensions in Time show.

Tennant will get a helping hand from his predecessors to carry out a mission. William Hartnell, Jon Pertwee and Patrick Troughton, Time Lords whose rein extended between 1966 to 1974 but have since passed away, will be included by use of images from their previous shows.

A source told the Daily Mirror that the show would make programming history.

“This is a momentous episode for all Doctor Who fans. Never before have all the Doctors been in the same room, let alone in the same show," the source said.

“It’s been a logistical nightmare getting all the actors together and available for shooting on the same days. But the script has already been started and it’s classic Doctor Who – really witty and very sharp.

“Viewers will see the Time Lords regenerating and emerging one by one from the Tardies, each with their own quirky opening line.

“David Tennant is the central character in the episode. He’s trying to hunt down some special time travel apparatus. What he’s actually lost has not yet been decided, but the idea is for all the other Doctors to club together to help David find it.

“The actors who are no longer with us, William, Jon and Patrick, will make special cameo appearances, with footage from original shows being flashed up on screen. It’s a really exciting project – and all for a good cause.”

A BBC spokesman told the Mirror: “Nothing has been finalised yet, although there is discussion of a Children in Need Doctor Who special. It is too early to say what.”