Billie Piper urges fans to 'be patient' after revealing she is not next Doctor Who

Billie Piper has urged Doctor Who fans to "be patient" when addressing the future of the iconic sci-fi series.

It comes as the BBC programme is facing an uncertain future following the cancellation of the 2026 Christmas special and the departure of showrunner Russell T Davies and producer Bad Wolf.

Fans last saw Piper, 43, in the 2025 series finale, when Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor appeared to regenerate into Piper's Rose Tyler, leading to speculation she could be returning to the series.

Speaking about Doctor Who at the For the Love of Fantasy & Sci-Fi convention in London over the weekend, Piper said, "It's had a bit of a rough time lately, and I think everyone just needs to chill out and wait for what comes from having space... and time."

Piper revealed that she was not the next Doctor, explaining, "I am not the next Doctor. I am Rose Tyler in hiatus."

She continued, "Sorry, that's a really cryptic answer, but because I'm not currently filming Doctor Who as the Doctor, I can't lie and say otherwise. I'm sweating. I hate this."

Piper previously played fan favourite Rose Tyler, the Doctor's companion, alongside Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant, in 2005 and 2006, and has made several guest appearances over the years.

The Wednesday actress urged fans to be "very patient", adding, "It'll be worth it when it comes. I think that we need to celebrate the fact that the (revived) show has... been around for a very long time, it's massively successful, and it's impacting so many people's lives positively."

Announcing the cancellation of the Christmas special in June, a BBC spokesperson explained the decision was "not taken lightly", adding that they knew the news would be "disappointing" and that it was "part of securing the next phase of the show for future generations".