Bernard Cribbins: Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies pays tribute to late actor after final TV appearance

It was a bittersweet moment for fans of the long-running BBC sci-fi series Doctor Who last night, as the second to last episode featuring the popular duo of David Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor and his companion Donna (played by Catherine Tate) came to its conclusion leading to the third and final part of the 60th anniversary story arc. But alongside that was the final appearance of fan favourite Wilfred Mott, played by the late Bernard Cribbins, who died in 2022 but not before completing his filming on the Doctor Who set. 

Now, Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has paid tribute to the late actor, revealing that had it not been for Cribbins’ death, he would have appeared in the series even more, with additional scenes written for the actor who died of natural causes before the opportunity to film them arose. 

Writing on Instagram, alongside a photo of Cribbins, Tennant and Tate from the scene, Davies said: “Farewell, old soldier. That’s goodnight and goodbye to our beloved Bernard. Wilf is mentioned in dispatches next week, all safe and sound, don’t worry, but that’s the only scene Bernard was able to film.”

“We had a wonderful time! We’d never lost touch, in all these years, so I phoned him up and asked him to come back. He sniffed and said ‘Let me see the script’. We had a wonderful readthrough with 120 people at which he was adored by one and all. A lovely dinner in Cardiff where he regaled us with tales galore, twinkling as ever.”

He added: “We had a little more written, but it wasn’t to be; at 93 years old, the old soldier had given us his best and stepped away.” 

Davies concluded his post with “Night, Bernard, and thank you. I love you.”

In the episode titled Wild Blue Yonder, the Tardis takes the Doctor and Donna to the farthest edge of the universe before they return to London. As they step out of the blue telephone box, Donna rushes to embrace Wilfred, who is sitting outside in a wheelchair. Wilfred is surprised when the Doctor also hugs him and says, "Wilfred Mott - now I feel better. Now, nothing is wrong, nothing in the whole wide world! How are you, old soldier?"

However, all is not well as Wilfred informs them that he has instructed his family to "bunker down" while he keeps watch. The Doctor and Donna are left confused until an explosion occurs, and fighting breaks out around them. Wilfred explains that everyone and everything is going mad, and the Doctor must do something to save the world from impending doom.