Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary special will see the return of David Tennant and Billie Piper.

David Tennant was the 10th Doctor and Billie Piper played his on-screen companion Rose Tyler in the show.

Filming on the show, which will also star John Hurt, will start next week.

Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary special will see the return of David Tennant and Billie Piper

David Tennant’s successor, Matt Smith – also in the special with his new assistant played by Jenna-Louise Coleman – says fans “will not be disappointed” by the 3D show, due to air on November 23.

Billie Piper and David Tennant have long been rumored to be making a return for the special, which is being written by the show’s executive producer and lead writer Steven Moffat.

In January, Billie Piper, appearing on the Graham Norton show, denied she would be appearing.

“I wasn’t asked, no,” she said.

“I think Matt Smith may have said, in passing or in jest, it would be nice.

“I think maybe he said that and then it became something quite different, but no.”

Matt Smith has said the show “manages to pay homage to everything – and look forward”.

“I read it and I clapped at the end. I think it’s hilarious, it’s epic and it’s vast,” he said.

Steven Moffat, meanwhile, has said he took special care to protect the secrets of the story.

“One length I’ve gone to which is a really good security measure – I make sure I don’t get a script, because I will lose it,” he said.

“I forbid people to hand me one. It’s on my computer under lock and key.”

The first story of Doctor Who’s 2013 run, The Bells of Saint John – described by Steven Moffat as a “proper London thriller” – will be screened later.

Viewers will see the Doctor and new companion, Clara, played by Jenna-Louise Coleman, battling an evil entity in the world’s Wi-Fi networks.

Future episodes see the return of the Cybermen and old enemy the Ice Warriors, who last appeared during the Jon Pertwee era in 1974.

The first episode of Doctor Who, An Unearthly Child, starring William Hartnell as the Timelord, was broadcast on November 23, 1963.

As part of the anniversary events, the BBC will also broadcast An Adventure in Space and Time – a one-off drama looking at how the sci-fi show came to be made.

Doctor Who: The Bells of Saint John will air on BBC One at 18:15 GMT on Saturday, March 30.