It’s time to step back into the TARDIS—Season 2 of Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor Who is just around the corner, and Alan Cumming is coming along for the journey.
On Wednesday, Disney and the BBC announced that the new season will kick off on April 12, premiering at 12 a.m. PT/3 a.m. ET on Disney+ in the U.S., while airing on BBC and BBC iPlayer in the U.K. New episodes from the eight-part season will continue to roll out weekly.
Gatwa returns as the Doctor alongside his latest companion, Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu), who joins Season 1’s Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson).
According to the season’s synopsis, “The Doctor meets Belinda Chandra and begins an epic quest to get her back to Earth. But a mysterious force is stopping their return and the time-traveling TARDIS team must face great dangers, bigger enemies and wider terrors than ever before.”
The Traitors host Alan Cumming is set to guest star in the season’s second episode as Mr. Ring-a-Ding, described in a press release as a “happy, funny, singalong cartoon who lives in Sunny Town with his friend Sunshine Sally.”
However, in 1952, after years of cinematic reruns, Mr. Ring-a-Ding suddenly looks beyond the screen and catches a glimpse of the real world outside—with terrifying consequences.
This marks Cumming’s return to the Doctor Who universe after portraying King James I in the 2018 episode The Witchfinders.
“Only Alan Cumming could give a runaway cartoon so much wit, malice, danger and fun,” showrunner, executive producer, and writer Russell T Davies said. “He makes the whole universe of Doctor Who wilder and madder than ever, and it’s an absolute honor to welcome him on board the TARDIS.”
Previously announced guest stars include Rose Ayling-Ellis, Christopher Chung, Anita Dobson, Michelle Greenidge, Jonah Hauer-King, Ruth Madeley, Jemma Redgrave, and Susan Twist.
The season is executive produced by Davies, Joel Collins, Phil Collinson, Julie Gardner, and Jane Tranter. It is produced by Bad Wolf in collaboration with BBC Studios for Disney Branded Television, BBC One, and BBC iPlayer.
