Doctor Who Season 14 Honors Another Iconic BBC Show In A Way That Floored Me

Summary Doctor Who Season 14 episode 2 pays homage to British culture with Beatles references and a surprise Strictly Come Dancing appearance.

The cameo by Strictly stars Shirley Ballas and Johannes Radebe resolves concerns about Doctor Who losing its British essence on Disney+.

References to Strictly in the Doctor Who universe assure fans that the show's British roots are here to stay, despite more American influences.

This article contains spoilers for Doctor Who Season 14 Episode 2, "The Devil's Chord".Despite a big move to Disney+ for global audiences, Doctor Who pays homage to its roots by referencing another iconic BBC TV show in a surprise appearance by two of its biggest stars. Doctor Who's Season 14's second episode, titled "The Devil's Chord" paid homage to its long history in a number of ways, with the most obvious being its focus on The Beatles, who rose to fame in 1963 at the same time as Doctor Who did. However, Doctor Who's Beatles-themed episode is far from the only element of British culture that Doctor Who honors in its second episode.

Doctor Who's Season 14 premiere is full of references that hold a significant meaning to the Doctor Who universe, ranging from mentions of Gallifrey and time lord The Rani, to a brief cameo by famed Doctor Who composer Murray Gold on the piano in Doctor Who's musical number at the end of "The Devil's Chord". However, the best and most shocking reference in the episode came from outside the Doctor Who universe. This now iconic cameo not only solves one of Doctor Who Season 14's biggest concerns, but does so with style.

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Where To Find Doctor Who Season 14, Episode 2's Strictly Come Dancing Cameos

This Cameo Was Even Hinted At In "The Devil's Chord"

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In the final twist at the end of "The Devil's Chord" which sees the Doctor Who cast erupt into song, Ruby Sunday and The Fifteenth Doctor quite literally twist the episode away as they dance alongside Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas and dancer Johannes Radebe in the hallway of Abbey Road studios. Much like Doctor Who, Strictly is a staple of Saturday night television in the UK and has even featured Doctor Who-themed dances in 2015, 2018, and 2022 respectively. However, Ballas and Radebe's surprise appearance is the first onscreen appearance from the BBC TV show in Doctor Who.

Strictly has always existed in the Doctor Who universe. In 2013's Christmas Special "The Time of the Doctor", Clara Oswald mentioned that her family always watched the Strictly Christmas special, and references were made to Strictly's winner in Torchwood season 1, episode 3, "The Ghost Machine". However, the most prominent mention of Strictly came in "The Devil's Chord" itself, with Ruby mentioning that "if there was no music, there would be no Strictly," foreshadowing their appearances later on in the episode.

Another Strictly reference in the Doctor Who universe would come in CBBC series, The Chute. In episode 9, Daniel Anthony and Tommy Knight would appear as their Sarah Jane Adventures characters Clyde Langer and Luke Smith, where they would find a discarded tape called "Strictly Come Dancing: Slitheen Special" in their hunt for an alien in the chute.

Doctor Who's Strictly References Resolve 1 Major Worry Of The Disney+ Era

Being British is What Doctor Who Does Best

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Doctor Who's move to Disney+ has been a controversial one. Despite being a staple in British culture, Doctor Who's new release plan meant that UK viewers would get to watch the newest episodes a day later than the rest of the world, alienating its original audience. Doctor Who Season 14 also had viewers concerned that it would lose its original British essence after moving to the American-based platform. Though more American influences have begun to appear in Doctor Who, the Strictly appearance assures local Doctor Who fans that Doctor Who's Britishness isn't going anywhere any time soon.