Features

Who Gear! A brief history of Doctor Who and Top Gear

By Cameron K McEwan

In case you missed the news, Top Gear is back on BBC Two with two new presenters, Chris Evans and Friends actor, Matt LeBlanc.

But what you might not know is that a number of Doctor Who stars have appeared on the popular motoring show over the years.

First up was the Ninth Doctor, Christopher Eccleston. The fantastic Northerner showed off his driving skills back in 2005, not long after it was announced he was leaving Doctor Who. Check out his segment on the show below.

Next up was was Billie Piper, best known for playing Rose Tyler. The actress took a trip in a reasonably priced car in 2007, almost a year after she left Doctor Who in the devastating Doomsday (and just a year before she would return in Partners In Crime).

And, for fact fans, Piper was once married to Chris Evans, who now presents Top Gear!

Later that same year, David Tennant, just days before his adventure as The Tenth Doctor with Kylie Minogue in the 2007 Christmas Special, Voyage of the Damned, set out to prove his worth against ex-companion Piper’s time around the lap.

During his interview, Jeremy Clarkson presented David with an amusing Top Gear video featuring the TARDIS with Tennant’s own commentary, check it out below.

And finally, there’s the Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith. The young actor made his debut on Top Gear in 2012, in the middle of his tenure as the Time Lord.

And, for completists, here’s a behind-the-scenes look at Matt behind the wheel.

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