'Doctor Who' will release 'Rose: The Prequel' as a treat for fans this week.
Billie Piper
Former showrunner Russell T Davies has revealed plans to air a special piece of promotional material before Thursday's (26.03.20) simulcast of 'Rose', which was the original 2005 'pilot' for the rebooted version of the sci-fi show.
Taking to Instagram, he wrote: "ROSE livestream and tweet-a-long, THURSDAY 26 MARCH at 7pm GMT. Come and have fun!
"Before that, Thursday daytime, time TBC, we'll release ROSE: THE PREQUEL on the BBC's Doctor Who website - it's a lost piece of history from the 50th anniversary year, 2013. Never seen before!"
The 56-year-old screenwriter will be watching 'Rose' - which starred Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor and Billie Piper as the titular Rose Tyler - with fans, but he admitted he isn't quite sure how global fans will tune in.
He continued: "ROSE is available in the UK on BBC iPlayer and Netflix; worldwide, check your own resources (don't ask me, I have no clue!).
"If you can't find a copy, close your eyes at 7pm GMT and feel my psychic link. Yeah.
"I'll be tweeting along, twitter handle to be named on Thursday! Plus more surprise to come. Oh what a lockdown this is! #TripofaLifetime (sic)"
Meanwhile, Christopher previously heaped praise on Billie's performances during their time together, and insisted she should have taken over the TARDIS.
He said: "If Billie Piper ever wants to play the Doctor I'll [be her companion]. Who wouldn't? I think that's what they should have done... Rose should have moved up to become the Doctor ... but it was just too early."
He also insisted bosses should have cast a woman as the titular Time Lord much earlier than 2017, when Jodie Whittaker made her first appearance in the role.
He added: "It's ridiculous we weren't thinking of a female Doctor at that time. In 2004, in me they picked yet another white skinny male to be the Doctor.
"If somebody had said in 2004 it should have been a woman, there'd have been outrage. But only 14 years later it's acceptable. I think it's time for white middle-aged males to step aside."