‘Doctor Who’ Season 2 Sets Premiere Date — Alan Cumming to Guest Star

Meredith Jacobs February 26, 2025, 9:00 am

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Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu — 'Doctor Who' Season 2 Posters — BBC / Disney+

Ready for more adventures through time and space with Ncuti Gatwa‘s Doctor?

Gatwa is back, alongside Varada Sethu as new companion Belinda Chandra and Millie Gibson returning as Ruby Sunday. Disney Branded Television and the BBC have announced the Doctor Who Season 2 premiere date and another guest star for the new season — and it’s Alan Cumming‘s second time on the show!

Read on for everything we know about Doctor Who Season 2, from the premiere date to the cast and more.

When will Doctor Who Season 2 premiere?

Doctor Who returns with its second season (its third second season, to be exact) on Saturday, April 12 at 3a/2c on Disney+ where available and on the BBC and BBC iPlayer in the UK. New episodes from the eight-part season will debut weekly.

Who’s in the Doctor Who Season 2 cast?

Like usual on Doctor Who, the Doctor and his companion(s) — Gatwa, Sethu, and Gibson — will be joined by a guest cast in each episode. Returning and new guest stars for Season 2 include: Anita Dobson (Mrs. Flood), Michelle Greenidge (Ruby’s mother Carla), Ruth Madeley (Shirley Ann Bingham), Jemma Redgrave (Kate Lethbridge-Stewart), Susan Twist (Susan Triad), Rose Ayling-Ellis, Christopher Chung, Jonah Hauer-King, and Cumming.

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Ayling-Ellis will appear in a thrilling and frightening adventure. “We always want guest actors on Doctor Who to have fun, but Rose takes it to a whole new level. She storms in with an astonishing performance of terror, anger and bravery in one of the most frightening episodes we’ve ever made,” said showrunner, executive producer, and writer Russell T Davies in a statement.

Chung’s character, too, is mysterious. “I’m a huge fan of Slow Horses, and I was so excited to get Chris involved. He brings all of his strength and style and talent to one of the darkest, toughest episodes we’ve ever made. As for whether Cassio is an ally or an enemy of the Doctor, you’ll have to wait and see, but I can promise, it’s one hell of a meeting!” teased Davies when his casting was announced.

Hauer-King’s character will be part of Ruby’s story.

Cumming will voice Mr Ring-a-Ding in the second episode. (This will be his second episode and character on Doctor Who; he previously played King James I in the 2018 episode “The Witchfinders,” with Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor.) Mr Ring-a-Ding is described as a happy, funny, singalong cartoon, who lives in Sunny Town with his friend Sunshine Sally. However, in 1952, after years of repeats in cinemas across the land, Mr Ring-a-Ding suddenly looks beyond the screen and sees the real world outside — and the consequences are terrifying. See his character in the photo below.

Alan Cumming voicing Mr. Ring-A-Ding — 'Doctor Who' Season 2

BBC / Disney+

“Only Alan Cumming could give a runaway cartoon so much wit, malice, danger and fun,” said Davies. “He makes the whole universe of ‘Doctor Who’ wilder and madder than ever, and it’s an absolute honour to welcome him on board the TARDIS.”

Joining Davies as executive producers are Joel Collins, Phil Collinson, Julie Gardner and Jane Tranter. The series is produced by Bad Wolf, with BBC Studios for Disney Branded Television and BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

What is Doctor Who Season 2 about?

In Doctor Who Season 2, the Doctor meets Belinda Chandra and begins an epic quest to get her back to Earth. But a mysterious force is stopping their return and the time-traveling TARDIS team must face great dangers, bigger enemies and wider terrors than ever before.

“We have got an unusual introduction for Varada Sethu coming in as Belinda Chandra, which is a slightly different introduction, quite by chance. It starts with the Doctor looking for her. I can give that away. He’s been told about her. So yeah, it dovetails very nicely into it,” Davies previously told TV Insider while discussing the 2024 Christmas special.