David Tennant’s Removed Doctor Who Episode Is Back On BBC Service With Some Tweaks

One 2006 episode of Doctor Who has returned to BBC iPlayer after its removal last year. The episode, starring David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor and Billie Piper as his companion Rose Tyler, centers on mysterious disappearances linked to a young girl’s possessed drawings during the 2012 London Olympics. Doctor Who season 2, episode 11, “Fear Her,” was initially taken down in August 2024 due to Huw Edwards’ cameo as a newsreader, following his guilty plea to charges involving indecent images of children.

As reported by RadioTimes.com, the Doctor Who episode “Fear Her” is now back on BBC iPlayer. However, it now features actor Becky Wright replacing expelled newsreader Huw Edwards in several scenes. In the revised version, Wright, known for her work on Doctor Who audio dramas, provides new narration for the news segments originally featuring Edwards. The main storyline remains unchanged, but specific dialogues have been updated to reflect this casting alteration.

What The Return Of “Fear Her” Means

Revisiting The Past With A New Voice

The reintroduction of the Doctor Who season 2 censored episode highlights the BBC’s approach to preserving its archive while addressing ethical concerns. Edwards’ past role as a news anchor for BBC News At Ten legitimized his presence in the original episode, which aired at least a decade before his disgraced career. However, given the severity of the charges against him, the BBC removed the episode and distanced themselves from his involvement, and now they’ve found a way for the story to remain.

In the original broadcast, Edwards appeared as himself, briefly presenting BBC News coverage of the mysterious vanishings. His lines have now been entirely replaced by Wright, a voice actor who worked on various Doctor Who podcasts. Wright also works extensively with Big Finish Productions, the company behind numerous Doctor Who audios, making her a natural choice to seamlessly restore the episode. Her performance ensures that “Fear Her” remains part of the Doctor Who catalog without the problematic association of its original broadcast.

Our Take On The Updated “Fear Her” Episode

Balancing Preservation And Progress

The BBC’s decision to re-edit and reinstate “Fear Her” is a thoughtful approach to content management. By replacing Edward, the network can acknowledge its past oversights while ensuring that a classic David Tennant Doctor Who episode remains accessible to viewers. Wright’s redub is a smart choice given her experience as a voice actor and her past work in the Extended Universe. Ultimately, this move respects the legacy of Doctor Who while ensuring that a problematic figure is no longer associated with it or given a platform.