Doctor Who welcomed back Russell T. Davies following the exits of showrunner Chris Chibnall and lead Jodie Whittaker, and it appeared that the rest of the cast members from the previous seasons were written off as well. Following the 60th anniversary specials, we’ll see Ncuti Gatwa take over with new companions, seemingly removing any holdover cast from the Chibnall era. That was the impression, anyway, until recent comments from The Master actor Sacha Dhawan.
Dhawan made his debut as the latest incarnation of The Master in Doctor Who Season 12 and was a thorn in the side of the Thirteenth Doctor for a handful of adventures, including her final one before regeneration in “The Power Of The Doctor.” While The Master didn’t regenerate at the end of the special, there was always a possibility of that occurring off-screen and him getting a new face, just like what happened with his previous incarnation as Missy.
Radio Times spoke to Sacha Dhawan recently and asked if he had been in contact with Russell T. Davies about appearing in upcoming during his run. Dhawan said the following, which, while cryptic, should set off some alarm bells for Doctor Who faithful:
Well, I’m involved in a few things that I can’t talk about, so who knows? I’m also creating my own stuff because I don’t necessarily just want to be moving from job to job, but it’s not always easy. The industry can feel quite isolating, but I’m holding my nerve.
Usually, if an actor isn’t involved in a show they’re directly asked about, they’ll just say so. Sacha Dhawan has nothing to gain by being cryptic if he’s not currently involved in Doctor Who, so if I were a betting man, I’d put money on seeing him when we all tune in for new episodes with our Disney+ subscriptions later this year.
Just how significant Sacha Dhawan’s presence will be if he does return is an entirely different story. The Master typically doesn’t make a ton of appearances per season and sometimes doesn’t appear at all. Dhawan did say he’s involved in a “few things,” however, so maybe his Master will return and is getting a meaningful arc during Ncuti Gatwa’s debut season.
As of writing, Sacha Dhawan isn’t on the cast list for Doctor Who Season 14 or the 60th-anniversary specials. If he is appearing, it’s looking like Russell T. Davies wants to keep his appearance under wraps. I can’t say I would blame him after the surprise return of The Master in Season 12, which remains one of my favorite episodes of Jodie Whittaker’s run.
Bringing back Sacha Dhawan as The Master would be a major plus for me in Russell T. Davies’ return to Doctor Who, though it’s not as though the acclaimed showrunner needs to do anything to win fan approval. He’s responsible for some of the greatest episodes the franchise has ever done, so I would wager that the BBC, Disney+, and fans are likely trusting in his judgment for what the show does and doesn’t need. I just can’t wait to see what he’ll do next, which makes the hiatus ahead of new episodes in the fall almost unbearable.
Doctor Who will return with its 60th-anniversary specials in November. After that, we’ll see the official start of Ncuti Gatwa’s run as The Doctor, assuming he doesn’t play a bigger role in the 60th like recent rumors have alleged.