The Beatles are set to feature in a new episode of the forthcoming series of ‘Doctor Who’.
The first season of the long-running sci-fi series will see the Time Lord, played by Ncuti Gatwa, step back in time and encounter the Fab Four.
Speaking at a screening of 2023 Christmas special, ‘The Church on Ruby Road’, showrunner Russell T Davies revealed: “[The Christmas special is] completely different to the next episode, isn’t it? And then the one after that, that’s The Beatles… that’s nuts!” (via Radio Times)
Further details of the Here Comes The Sun group’s appearance have yet to be revealed, however it’s not the first time The Beatles have featured on the show; back in 1965, footage of the band performing Ticket To Ride was included in the serial ‘The Chase’, starring William Hartnell.
‘Doctor Who’ returns to screens on Christmas Day when ‘Sex Education’ actor Gatwa will meet his new companion, Ruby Sunday, played by former ‘Coronation Street’ star, Millie Gibson.
It comes after The Beatles rocketed to the top of the UK Singles Chart, 60 years after they secured their first chart-topper, From Me To You, with their “final song”, Now And Then.
It’s also the band’s 18th UK No. 1 hit, extending The Beatles’ record as the British act with the most chart-topping hits. Only Elvis Presley, with 21 No. 1s, has more to his name.
Upon hearing the news, Paul McCartney said: “It’s mind boggling. It’s blown my socks off. It’s also a very emotional moment for me. I love it!”
John Lennon first wrote and recorded a demo of Now And Then with piano and vocals in the late 1970s at his home in New York’s Dakota building, with his wife Yoko Ono passing the track to McCartney, Starr and George Harrison in 1994, along with the demos for Free As A Bird and Real Love.
Both of those songs were completed and released in the mid-’90s as part of the band’s ‘Anthology’ project and they’re doing the same with the new song, using WingNut Films’ MAL audio technology – which was also used in Peter Jackson’s acclaimed ‘Get Back’ and for a 2022 remix of their seminal album ‘Revolver‘ – to isolate elements of the track and add clarity to the stem of Lennon’s vocals and piano.
Alongside the song, a music video directed by Jackson has also been released.
