Doctor Who's Russell T. Davies Wants To Bring 1 Bridgerton & Wicked Star Back In The Show's Future

While his appearances in Bridgerton and Wicked have made him a household name, Russell T Davies hopes to bring Jonathan Bailey to Doctor Who in an all-new role. Before joining Netflix's period drama as Anthony Bridgerton, Bailey portrayed Psi in the Doctor Who season 8 episode Time Heist, alongside Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor and Jenna Coleman's Clara Oswald. At the time of writing, Bailey had soared onto the big screen as Prince Fiyero in Wicked, the shallow student Cynthia Erivo's Elphaba encounters in her studies at Shiz University.

Recently, Davies revealed to Screen Rant that he hopes to bring Bailey back to the Whoniverse after recruiting Bridgerton co-star Nicola Coughlan to star in Doctor Who's 2024 Christmas special. Highlighting Adjoa Adoh's dual Whoniverse roles as a precedent for bringing back multiple actors, Davies shared that he hopes to encourage Bailey to return after briefly spending time with season 14 guest star and Bridgerton's Queen Charlotte actor Golda Rosheuval:

We've had a lot with Adjoa Andoh. We bumped into Golda Rosheuvel the other day at the theater. Jonathan Bailey's been in it. I would bring Jonathan Bailey back any day.

​​​​​Furthermore, Davies expressed that he would like to recruit anyone from the Netflix series to make an appearance during the Time Lord's journey. Check out Davies' declaration below:

We've used a lot, but yeah, anyone who was in that show is good news, really, so yes.

What Davies' Response Means For Doctor Who's Casting Future

There Are Few Restrictions Stopping Actors From Returning To The Whoniverse

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It would be hard to imagine a series wanting to recruit actors for multiple on-screen roles without a reason. However, arguably, Doctor Who has often decided to ignore such a restriction since classic era actors like Julian Glover and Colin Baker portrayed multiple characters, the latter even going on to play the Sixth Doctor. This has continued into the modern era, as Peter Capaldi, Freeman Agyman, and Eve Myles were given reasons and links between their dual roles. Others such as Karen Gillan and David Bradley were cast in major roles following their guest appearances.

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Related Doctor Who: 10 Actors Who Played Multiple Roles Since its revival in 2005, Doctor Who has featured many different actors. But which actors have played several different characters on the show?

This disregard remains true in Davies' new era. Indira Varma returned to Doctor Who in a new role after appearing in the spin-off Torchwood, while season 14's Varada Sethu is set to reappear in Doctor Who season 15 as new companion Belinda after impressing Davies during production. Furthermore, Davies also cast Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Russell Tovey in leading roles in the upcoming spin-off The War Between The Land And Sea. As such, it is evident that the showrunner is focused on performance over lore in his new tenure.

Our Thoughts On Bailey's Doctor Who Casting Hopes

The Actor May Have Some Time For The Whoniverse

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While Wicked's box office performance is a promising sign for Bailey's future, the star is already set for further success in 2025 with Wicked: For Good and Jurassic World Rebirth. Bailey's busy schedule could mean that his Doctor Who casting chances are low, but it doesn't mean that he could be totally ruled out.

Though Doctor Who's future remains uncertain beyond season 15 until Disney evaluates its performance in 2025, Davies may be able to bring Bailey back to the franchise.

David Tennant returned to portray the Fourteenth Doctor in 2023's 60th-anniversary special, even though he had roles in Good Omens and Star Wars around the same time. Ncuti Gatwa not only signed onto the series as he was concluding Netflix's hit comedy Sex Education but he was also involved with Barbie. This proves that even high-profile stars managed to find the time to film Doctor Who within their busy schedule. Though Doctor Who's future remains uncertain beyond season 15 until Disney evaluates its performance in 2025, Davies may be able to bring Bailey back to the franchise.