Published Jun 5, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT
In over three years at Collider, senior author Jake has now penned over 3000 articles covering a wide range of TV and film for the resources, lists, utilities, news, and interview teams. Alongside interviewing stars such as Selin Hizli, Rose Ayling-Ellis, Harlan Coben, and Chelsea Peretti, Jake was lucky enough to visit the set of Aardman and Netflix’s Wallace and Gromit: A Vengeance Most Fowl in 2024, getting the chance to chat with four-time Academy Award winner Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham. Jake has also worked for other publications, including Agents of Fandom. You can also hear Jake every week as the resident film and TV journalist on Track Radio.
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It’s been a long time since ***Doctor Who ***felt this timey-wimey. Following a disastrous partnership with Disney under the direction of returning showrunner Russell T. Davies, the long-running sci-fi favorite’s future is up in the air, especially given the strange circumstances surrounding the sudden departure of the most recent titular Time Lord, Ncuti Gatwa. After it was recently reported that Doctor Who’s supposed Christmas 2026 return would be delayed until Easter 2027, it now seems we will get some sort of definitive answer “in about a week,” according to Davies.
Such frustrating modern times for Doctor Who have fans yearning for the past, especially earlier this century when the show was at its most globally popular. Of all the TARDIS teams in the 21st century, none had as much of a chokehold over the fandom as Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor, Karen Gillan’s Amy Pond, and Arthur Darvill’s Rory, regularly joined by** Alex Kingston**‘s River Song. In a glimmer of optimism amid the murky rumors, it has now been confirmed that two of this beloved quartet, Kingston and Darvill, will finally be returning to the franchise following their last collaboration in 2012’s “The Angels Take Manhattan.”
Your answers point to the iconic sci-fi hero who shares your instincts, your values, and your particular way of facing the impossible.
You carry a weight most people would crumble under — the knowledge of what you’re capable of, and the burden of what you might have to become.
You lead with instinct, warmth, and an absolute refusal to accept a no-win scenario — because you’ve always believed there’s a third option nobody else has thought of yet.
You are the kind of person who holds the line when everyone else is losing faith — not because you’re fearless, but because giving up simply isn’t something you’re capable of.
You are not reckless, not grandiose, and not particularly interested in being anyone’s hero — you just refuse to stop when it matters.
You have been through fire that would break most people — and what came out the other side is something the world underestimates at its peril.
River and Rory will return in the next audio project from Big Finish, titled The Death and Life of River Song: River and Rory. The full-cast audio will feature four adventures set between the end of Season 6 and the start of Season 7. These episodes include “Bog Man” written by Lizzie Hopley, “Life Lessons” written by Karissa Hamilton-Bannis, “A Most Dangerous Game” written by Robert Valentine, and “The Tashpa Stone” written by Shai Hussain and John Dorney. A synopsis reads:
“Just as Rory Williams is trying to get his life in order… his daughter crashes back into it! And River always brings trouble… From the busy city to the peace of Leadworth, someone is on her trail. And before long, River gives Rory a taste of her own lifestyle as they take a leap into time and space…”
Speaking in a statement about this long-awaited return of two fan-favorite companions, producer David Richardson said, “I make no secret of the fact that I believe the Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory, and River are one of the greatest teams ever to have graced Doctor Who,” something many fans will agree with. “It’s a thrill to be able to take a deep dive back into that era, reuniting Alex and Arthur for new stories with their much-loved characters.” Development on the story for their return began way back in 2020, so this audio drama has been a long time coming.
The most recent* Doctor Who* is available on Disney+. Stay tuned to Collider for the latest updates.
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Science Fiction
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Doctor Who / Whoniverse