Classic Doctor Who Villains To Return?

A tabloid newspaper claims a villain from the original series of Doctor Who will return next year to do battle with the Doctor (Matt Smith) and his new companion as played by Jenna-Louise Coleman.

The Daily Star newspaper claims that the Ice Warriors will return to Doctor Who in an early episode starring Coleman as the show’s new companion. The Ice Warriors appeared in four stories of the original series appearing alongside Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee. Interestingly in their third appearance, The Curse of Peladon, they were not the villains of the piece but were some of the “good guys” – an interesting role reversal almost unique in Doctor Who history.

The Daily Star claims the story will be penned by Mark Gatiss and states “Who fans have been crying out for the return of the Ice Warriors. Now they’ve got their wish. “It’s going to be an exciting year with the 50th anniversary celebrations”.

It’s not the first time the Ice Warriors have been rumoured to be returning to Doctor Who. They were last seen in 1974 and were due to return in 1985 to the series before its abrupt cancellation by Michael Grade. They were then due to return for the 1990 season of Doctor Who which never happened because the series was (again) cancelled in 1989. Since Doctor Who was revived in 2005 there have been several reports claiming they were being brought back.

The Ice Warriors are not the only monsters supposedly returning for the seventh season with the Yeti and Zygons also rumoured as returning. Given Doctor Who celebrates its 50th anniversary next year the rumours surrounding the return of several villains to the series have slightly more credibility.