The Incredible Reunion: Ex-Doctor Who Companion's Emotional Encounter with the 7th Doctor After a 3-Decade Separation

Summary

Sophie Aldred reflects on her emotional reunion with Sylvester McCoy in Doctor Who season 13, where they finally had a scene together that fans had always wanted.

The lack of a farewell scene between Ace and the Seventh Doctor on-screen for many years added to the significance and nostalgia of this reunion. Doctor Who will continue to hold reunions, as Bonnie Langford's Melanie Bush makes a return and there are upcoming 60th anniversary specials with David Tennant and Catherine Tate.

Doctor Who's Sophie Aldred reflects on reuniting with Sylvester McCoy. Aldred portrayed Ace alongside McCoy's Seventh Doctor from 1987-1989. They joined forces once again in Season 13, Episode 9 of Doctor Who, titled "The Power of the Doctor," reprising their Doctor roles as the show bid farewell to the Thirteenth Doctor, Jodie Whittaker. With Aldred's time as Ace officially over, she will not be appearing in the upcoming Season 14 of Doctor Who.

In an interview with Radio Times, Aldred expresses the significance of her reunion with McCoy. Returning to Doctor Who allowed them the chance to finally have a scene together that they had never had before. Aldred describes this moment as highly emotional, as if the years just melted away. Read Aldred's complete quote below:

It held immense significance as the final image of our departure was us disappearing into the bushes. In reality, it took place in a quarry in Dorset. Sylvester's poignant monologue was added as a voiceover later, scripted by the editor Andrew, to mask the fact that this would be the last appearance of Doctor Who for a considerable time.

To return and finally film the scene that was previously missing evoked intense emotions. It was a moment longed for by fans.

It was an incredibly poignant moment, with both the crew and myself feeling deeply moved. When Sylvester performed his scene on the green screen, I was there alongside him, reading the lines. We were physically present together, which added to the emotional intensity.

On that day, there were numerous individuals present, both around the monitor and in the studio, who had gathered to witness the occasion. The sight of Sylvester in his iconic costume, after all these years, evoked a powerful emotional response. While we had previously reenacted such scenes at conventions and events, being filmed together brought a whole new level of significance.

He expressed that it felt as if the years had rolled by effortlessly, and we were brought back to that moment. The only sentiment I shared, I believe he did as well, was a sense of disappointment that we were not on the verge of commencing another series.

Doctor Who Is Full Of Reunions Lately

The fragment takes us to a significant scene where Ace and the Seventh Doctor finally have an intense and heartfelt goodbye. Surprisingly, Doctor Who had been lacking such a scene for decades, leaving Ace and the Doctor without an on-screen farewell during the time that Aldred and McCoy were part of the show. McCoy echoed Aldred's sentiments on this final reunion, describing it as a "nostalgic" and "emotional" moment of closure.

Not only McCoy and Aldred have returned to Doctor Who from the 1980s era, but "The Power of the Doctor" also features a brief appearance by Bonnie Langford as Melanie Bush. Melanie had been a companion to both McCoy's Seventh Doctor and Baker's Sixth Doctor. With Melanie's return, Doctor Who season 14 blends the old and the new, as the series transitions to Ncuti Gatwa's portrayal as the Fifteenth Doctor.

The Doctor Who reunions will continue with a significant reunion between David Tennant and Catherine Tate's Donna Noble in the upcoming Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials. While McCoy returned as the Seventh Doctor, Tennant will appear as an interim Fourteenth Doctor, bridging the transition between Whittaker and Gatwa. Fans of Aldred and McCoy's heartfelt reunion in Doctor Who can look forward to another reunion between this important duo.