Doctor Who on BBC One: When and what time it's on, cast list in full and guest stars

Doctor Who is back for eight brand new episodes after a Christmas Day special gave fans their first proper look at new star Ncuti Gatwa. A new era of the BBC show was ushered in at the end of 2023, with former showrunner Russell T Davies back at the helm.

Whovians were treated to special episodes featuring previous stars David Tennant and Catherine Tate before meeting Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor in the third 60th anniversary special when the Doctor "bi-generated". His first solo full-length episode on Christmas Day saw him encounter future companion Ruby Sunday, played by Coronation Street’s Millie Gibson.

It's now time for the main event - a new series with eight episodes, the first since the BBC struck a deal with Disney+. It means a bigger budget and adventures on a bigger scale than ever before.

Read on to find out everything you need to know about the new series.

When is the new series of Doctor Who on BBC One?

A double bill of new episodes will land on BBC iPlayer on Saturday May 11 before airing on BBC One later in the day.

The episode titles for the new series are Space Babies, The Devil’s Chord, Boom, 73 Yards, Dot And Bubble, Rogue, The Legend Of Ruby Sunday and Empire Of Death.

What time can you watch the new Doctor Who?

The episodes will be on BBC iPlayer from midnight on Saturday (May 11). The first episode, Space Babies, will then air at 6.20pm on BBC One, followed by The Devil’s Chord at 7.05pm.

Outside the UK, Doctor Who will begin streaming on May 10 on Disney+.

New Doctor Who cast list in full

Episode 1: Space Babies

The Doctor - Ncuti Gatwa

Ruby Sunday - Millie Gibson

Jocelyn Sancerre - Golda Rosheuvel

Carla Sunday - Michelle Greenidge

Cherry Sunday - Angela Wynter

Eric - Mason McCumskey

Voice of Eric - Sami Amber

Poppy - Sienna-Robyn Mavanga-Phipps

Voice of Poppy - Shola Olaitan-Adjiboye

Voice of Adjani - Lonnee Archibong

Voice of Marcel - Param Patel

Voice of Sandra - Cadence Williams

Rico Trieste - Jesus Reyes Ortiz

Lucia Colasanto - Yasmine Bouabid

Bogeyman - Robert Strange

Episode 2: The Devil's Chord

The Doctor - Ncuti Gatwa

Ruby Sunday - Millie Gibson

Maestro - Jinkx Monsoon

Timothy Drake - Jeremy Limb

Henry - Kit Rakusen

George Martin - Ed White

Paul McCartney - George Caple

John Lennon - Chris Mason

George Harrison - Philip Davies

Ringo Starr - James Hoyles

Cilla Black - Josie Sedgewick-Davies

Vinnie - Simon Jason-Smith

Studio producer - Chan Shoker

Elderly woman - Laura June Hudson

Tea lady - Susan Twist

Tea trolley lady - Sherinne Kayra Anderson

Herself - Shirley Ballas

Himself - Johannes Radebe

Himself - Murray Gold

Who is guest starring in the new Doctor Who series?

Space Babies, the first episode of the new series, will see the Doctor and Ruby Sunday on a baby farm being run by babies facing off against a Bogeyman. Bridgerton star Golda Rosheuvel plays Jocelyn in the episode.

Rosheuvel said she got to the end of a press tour for the Bridgerton prequel Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, and she told her agent she would love to next star in Doctor Who. The 54-year-old said: “It’s one of those shows that every actor has their eye on. It’s like a rite of passage,”

“I had auditioned for it several times over the years, and friends had always pipped me to the post. But now the timing was definitely right.

"I just randomly put the request out there, and it came back. So the stars, the solar system, the whole Doctor Who universe aligned."

The second episode of the series will see the Doctor and Ruby Sunday meet The Beatles, but discover that the all-powerful Maestro – played by US drag queen and actor Jinkx Monsoon – is changing history. Jinkx Monsoon, real name Jerick Hoffer, said "no-one cared that this was only my third live-action scripted TV appearance", adding that Gatwa "was just so generous" while filming.

Future guest stars for the new series announced so far include Jonathan Groff (Hamilton), Indira Varma, Bonnie Langford, Lenny Rush (Am I Being Unreasonable?), Paul Forman (Emily in Paris), Tachia Newall (Waterloo Road), Sian Phillips, Callie Cook, Pete Machale, Aneurin Barnard, Miles Yekinni, Hemi Yeroham and Bhav Joshi.

Jemma Redgrave will return as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, along with Anita Dobson as the mysterious Mrs Flood and Bonnie Langford is back as former companion Mel. And Russell T Davies told Entertainment Weekly that fans can also expect to see Yasmin Finney again as Donna Noble's daughter Rose.

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