In many ways I'm very excited about this.

On the other hand, the new Who has a bad habit of recycling itself too much. They love bringing characters and references back and back and back again, building up each time. I loved Rose, but the character is dead. She has been irrevocably shuffled off twice now. How many more times can they finish an episode by saying 'the dimensions are sealed off forever' with a straight face?

And what about Donna Noble? The minute she gets too deep into the Doctor's world, she dies. Anything else cheapens the impact of her character arc.

And this is being reported by the Sun, a notoriously unreliable newspaper.

Nerdgasm!

Oh, hey, aren't we getting close to the first of the 2009 Doctor Who specials?

The actors could all "come back" for dream sequences/hallucinations/newly-filmed flashbacks... that sort of thing. Right? I would prefer that to having them all actually be "back" (didn't RTD declare *he* would never bring the Master back? Though I guess it's Moffatt's turn now, so maybe...) Anyway, I'd love to see all those folks again, any which way!

Hauling back Rose again? Presumably with the Hand Doctor? Oh dear. This is from The Sun, so I'd take it with a grain of salt. It's a tabloid, so sometimes it's right and often it's wildly wrong.

I must admit, I'd like to see how Rose's relationship with the clone Doctor turned out.

But I'd leave that for a one off special (or comic book) rather than an episode where Rose comes back. Again.

Wait a minute...

Hand Doctor for the next companion!!!

I sincerely hope this is true ... but mostly for the sake of the "Donna arc." I remain convinced that the Doctor honestly didn't even look for a solution to Donna's timelord-ish situation ... because he was too busy feeling mopey.

Bringing Rose back (almost certainly) also means bringing along Doctor 10.5, and getting him back together with Donna may well add up to a nifty solution!

My personal hope, if these characters do show up, is that the episode involves a time-chase (like a car-chase... only not) between the Doc and the Master. They then crash through various other times and situations, interacting with past companions.

@Ryan H--that would definitely be fun! Otherwise, I'm suspicious. Much as I liked Rose in her time, it's time for the show to be done with her. And yeah, if the dimensions are sealed off, let them be for goodness sake sealed off. Having Donna back would be much cooler.

More than likely the returning cast members are going to be imaginary guests in the Doctor's head as he 'dies', it's something they've done for the Fourth and Fifth Doctors.

I mean, 1) they're going to re-open the dimensional doorways AGAIN?!?! and 2) Donna Noble's head will explode if she 'remembers' her Time Lord acquired knowledge...

What I want to happen to each of the companions:

Rose Tyler: Not to physically come back. Her story with the Doctor is done. DONE. But of course I support 100% a dream sequence/time travel/whatever with her.

Martha Jones: Now I DO want her back because she's so kick ass. Hopefully she's in tow with Captain Jack and Co. but not necessary. Just want me some Freyma.

Donna Noble: Yes, please! Just so that her tragic arc can have a happy ending. I don't care if this "cheapens" it because frankly Donna deserves a much better ending. Maybe the Doctor regenerating will make her remember without blowing up.

Since it is The Sun, who knows if it is true or not. I could see Martha being back but the others, not so sure in the physical sense. I could see Rose, Donna and Doctor 10.5 popping up in cameos during the regeneration (maybe something similar to what happened with Doctor 5). But then again, being it is RTD and his habit of overdoing things, I won't be surprised by anything really.

Sigh. I remember the good old S1 and S2 days when I actually like Rose. I love Billie but I really hope if true its only a vision/dream sequence and not another return from the dimension that she can never return from...until the next time.

In the slightly more reliable than the Sun category, it looks like Jessica Hynes may have been spotted on set. (Squeee!) http://www.denofgeek.com/television/222596/doctor_who_jessica_hynes_returns.html

Yup - much more excited about the Jessica Hynes "bookshop" sighting.... Now THAT'S a story arc... Anyway - I'm still puzzling over John Simm's return. Wasn't his body incinerated (and the Master's energy transported to his Time Lord ring ready to hijack some poor unsuspecting human body!) The Sun run HUNDREDS of stories and usually are less than 50% correct so... For me the only companion I'd like to return is Donna, to save the Earth again! David and Catherine work so brilliantly together - I'd like to see them have one last blast!!! Oh I am so gonna miss my Ten :(

say it with me - flashbacks

yep much more excited about Nurse Redfern's great niece!

Yes, remember the "news" stories stating that all ten Doctors were going to appear in The Next Doctor? Well, they did--projected on the wall for all of what, 30 seconds? If that? So, yeah, I do expect all of the companions to "appear" in that sense, as...God, I can't even type it. I don't think I'll be able to watch the last one. Ever. It hurts my heart just to think about it.

...wait. Donna to return?
Umm... as much as I LOVED Catherine Tate in Dr Who, I REALLY don't want her to die, because that's what'll happen if she comes in to any sort of contact with the Doctor or the TARDIS. Unless they figure out some sort of alternative reality mumbo jumbo to bring her back in... Hmm... or maybe, the Doctor saves her brain somehow and she's still the companion! Yays all round. heeee... it's doubtful

Wouldn't it be interesting if The Doctor died saving his human clone, for Rose's sake?

And you know what the one, final thing he has to say to her will be.

The Writer wrote: (and having writ, moved on...)

And you know what the one, final thing he has to say to her will be.

Yeah. "Blimey. You again? You really can't take a hint, can you, Rosie?"

the master cant be in it because the doctor burnt his body when he woundnt regenarate

If the producers/writers of the show want the Master back, he'll be back. This is a sci-fi show (where the impossible is made possible). I'm sure they'll think of some way to explain his return.

What was the last thing that woman said to the Doctor in 'Planet of the Dead', 'you're time is coming to an end... and he'll come, he'll knock 4 times'

Who do we know that doesn't half like knocking or drumming...? Those four beats he did...? Its got to be The Master...

... the Master, or Tony Orlando (and Dawn).

Tony Orlando only knocked three times. Can't be him.

I do hope they manage to include Alex Kingston's character (Professor River Song) in one of David Tennant's final episodes.

When Professor Song was introduced in "Silence of the Library" it was made clear that, although for the Doctor it was the first time he had met her, she would know him very well in her past and his future. She immediately recognised him, but also realised immediately that she was meeting a much earlier incarnation of the Doctor than most of their, from her perpective, previous meetings.

That suggests that Professor River Song was apparently familiar with the appearance of the Doctor's incarnations from David Tennant's character onwards - which would be easiest to explain if she meets him before the forthcoming regeneration.

The children in need program on the BBC released a really good preview of The End of Time. You can find it on youtube but it does contain spoilers (obviously). I'm still shivering from how freaky that preview is! These specials look to be quite scary/disturbing.

I'm hoping the Doctor defies the laws of Time to the point where he blasts the Pretender out of existence and goes on being Ten forever.