It is confirmed that David Tennant will appear as the Doctor in an episode of the CBBC series The Sarah Jane Adventures set to air this summer. For those out there who thought they would have to wait until November to see new Doctor Who, today’s news should be most welcome. It was originally rumored that Tennant would only be making a cameo appearance, but Russell T Davies confirms that the Doctor’s role will be a “full-on appearance.”
According to Elisabeth Sladen, who plays journalist Sarah Jane Smith, “It’s fantastic news that Sarah Jane is going to spend some time working with the Doctor again and is testament to just how successful this CBBC series is.”
Sarah Jane returned to the new Doctor Who universe in the episode “School Reunion.” The Sarah Jane Adventures, a show aimed at younger audiences, spun off from Doctor Who soon after. She appeared again at the end of series four in the episodes “The Stolen Earth” and “Journey’s End.” This summer’s SJA episode marks the first time the Doctor has appeared on that show. Together, the Doctor and Sarah face their greatest threat ever. Could it be Sarah Jane’s marriage?
Elisabeth Sladen debuted as Sarah Jane Smith opposite Jon Pertwee’s Doctor in the 1973 episode “The Time Warrior.” This episode also marked the first appearance of the Sontarans, a race of warrior clones. Her time with Tom Baker’s 4th Doctor is often considered the high point of the entire series. Her final episode, 1976’s “The Hand of Fear,” features the most emotional companion departures until Rose Tyler. Sarah Jane proved to be such a popular companion that she continued to pop up in the Doctor Who universe. First there was Doctor Who’s first spin off, “K-9 and Company” which established how Sarah Jane received K-9 from the Doctor. She showed up again in the 25th Anniversary episode “The Five Doctors” where she was reunited with Jon Pertwee. Sarah Jane also starred in a series of audio adventures from Big Finish.
Click over to The Sarah Jane Adventures website for all sorts of cool stuff.
