As rumors swirl that Doctor Who could soon be in search of a new lead actor to play The Doctor, a former star has expressed her interest to return for an adventure or two before Jodie Whittaker gives up the sonic screwdriver. In fact, Alex Kingston really does sound set on finding a way for River Song to meet the 13th Doctor, and she has a plan for what she'd want to do if given the opportunity.
Alex Kingston spoke to Radio Times about her upcoming Doctor Who book The Ruby's Curse, and the actress brought up her interest in returning to the series for a reunion with her character's husband, er, spouse. Though Kingston didn't indicate whether it would or could feasibly happen, she did make it clear that she'll be disappointed if the two don't connect before Jodie Whittaker's tenure is up.
It would be a great shame if it were not to happen. Let’s put it that way...I’m open to anything. I don’t have an idea about how we should meet or anything like that. But I would like River to meet her, and plant a big, fat kiss on her!
Season 13 of Doctor Who has been in production for a while, and was slated to run for 10 months when it first kicked off in late 2020. If Alex Kingston has taken part in discussions about appearing on set for filming River Song's return, she didn't indicate as much in her interview, and the implication seemed to be that she hadn't. It's also unclear if Kingston was fully aware of the rumors saying Whittaker may exit after Season 13, which would obviously shorten the time window in which these characters can meet.
The good news for fans is that it's still not an impossibility for River Song to appear in Season 13. While Chris Chibnall was wary to bring typical Doctor Who elements into Season 11, Season 12 certainly worked in familiar villains and faces like John Barrowman's Captain Jack. It's not crazy to think plans for River Song could be in the works, though nothing is ever guaranteed with this show when it comes to major character returns.
If Jodie Whittaker's Doctor doesn't link up with River Song, she would be the first not to meet her since the character's introduction. As both The Doctor's wife and the daughter of former companions Amy and Rory, River is a character that fans have vested interest in. Obviously, it'd be great to see what River would say about the gender swap, though given the comments made by Alex Kingston, it doesn't seem as though the companion would have tons of issues with that switch.
Doctor Who Season 13 is in development, and while there's no release date for it yet, a 2022 release date feels more likely than not. Let us know in the poll below if you'd like to see River Song's return before Season 14 arrives. Hopefully, in the meantime, we'll get some answers as to whether or not Jodie Whittaker will remain with the show going forward or who the next Doctor may be.
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