Russell T Davies has talked about the real reason he’s returned as Doctor Who showrunner — and rather pleasingly, though not surprisingly, it’s because he still loves the franchise.

The writer, who was in charge of bringing back Doctor Who in 2005 then spearheaded the first four series, reflected:

“The real answer is that I still love it. You do spend your years away from Doctor Who, always watching it, always thinking of ideas, thinking about how I would expand it, thinking of stories… It never goes away. I have been inventing stories in my head ever since I was about six. So when I left the show, that doesn’t stop.”

Steven Moffat took over as showrunner from Series 5, then Chris Chibnall from Series 11. But with Davies back, further familiar faces have been ushered back in — namely, Catherine Tate as Donna Noble, and David Tennant, this time as the Fourteenth Doctor. So why did Russell decide to bring them back too? He says:

“I realised that there was third act to be written [for the Doctor and Donna], and it was so much fun writing it. On a really simple level, it’s working with two of the best actors in the world. I love them. I love them as friends. I love their presence. I’m really interested to push the Doctor and Donna into things they’ve never done before.”

Indeed, the pair will be back this November, in three 60th anniversary episodes, The Star Beast, Wild Blue Yonder, and The Giggle.

And then we welcome in Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor and Millie Gibson as his companion, Ruby Sunday, in Series 14…