Twice Upon a Time (Doctor Who) and Time". This makes him the third actor to play the role in the television programme, after William Hartnell and Richard Hurndall (in 1983's "The Five Doctors") since the premiere of "Doctor Who" in 1963. Bradley previously played Solomon in the 2012 episode "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship". The first trailer for the episode was shown during the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con, revealing the return of Polly, a companion from the end of William Hartnell's tenure as the First Doctor, portrayed by Lily Travers, and Pearl Mackie as Bill Potts. Also confirmed were appearances by Toby Whithouse, writer of seven episodes
Doctor Who (film) Peter Capaldi. Eccleston and Capaldi would go on to play the Ninth and Twelfth incarnations of the Doctor, respectively, in the revived series of "Doctor Who" which began in 2005. Eccleston turned down the offer to audition for the TV Movie because at the time he felt he was not yet an established enough actor and did not want to be associated with a "brand name" so early in his career. Capaldi declined because he felt it was unlikely that he would be given the part. Of those actors who originally auditioned for the role of the Doctor, a number