Doctor Who reveals more details of Yasmin Finney's character

By Neil Wilkes, Editor-in-chief | 30 August 2023

Yasmin Finney will play Rose Noble, daughter of Catherine Tate's Donna, in Doctor Who.

Yasmin Finney will play Rose Noble, the daughter of Catherine Tate's Donna Noble, in the upcoming Doctor Who specials, it has been confirmed.

The sci-fi show is returning after more than a year off the air in November with three special episodes to celebrate its 60th anniversary, with Tate reprising her role as Donna and David Tennant back as a new iteration of The Doctor.

Finney's character was previously revealed to be called 'Rose' - a nod to Billie Piper's Rose Tyler - and fans had speculated that she could be the daughter of Donna and husband Shaun Temple (Karl Collins) after they were all spotted filming together.

Now, in a post on X to mark Finney's 20th birthday, the show's official account has confirmed the fan theory.

It said: "Welcome to the #DoctorWho family, Rose Noble. Wishing a very happy birthday to Yasmin Finney, whose character Rose is the daughter of companion Donna Noble (played by Catherine Tate) and Shaun Temple (Karl Collins).

"So the question is, what happens when Rose meets one of her mum's oldest friends? It is a mystery for now, but what we do know is that just like her mother, Rose stumbles across something alien - and from that point her seemingly ordinary family is never quite the same..."

Also returning in the special episodes are Jacqueline King as Donna's mum Sylvia and the late Bernard Cribbins as Donna's grandfather Wilf, in what was his final filmed role before his death at the age of 93 last year.

Welcome to the #DoctorWho family, Rose Noble 🌹➕🔷

Wishing a very happy birthday to Yasmin Finney, whose character Rose is the daughter of companion Donna Noble (played by Catherine Tate) and Shaun Temple (Karl Collins). pic.twitter.com/z9op4tpc8s
— Doctor Who (@bbcdoctorwho) August 30, 2023