Summary

• Doctor Who season 14 episode 2 features The Beatles and Cilla Black in a time-traveling adventure at Abbey Road Studios.
• The actor playing John Lennon in "The Devil's Chord" has the most credits to his name of the four Beatles actors.
• Cilla Black, played by Josie Sedgwick-Davies, has a cameo role in the episode, including a duet with Ruby Sunday.

Doctor Who season 14, episode 2, "The Devil's Chord" features two legendary acts from Liverpool, so all the actors involved had some big shoes to fill. Large portions of the episode are set in 1963, at the recording facility that would eventually become known as Abbey Road Studios. As such, it made sense to have some familiar figures appear in the second episode of Doctor Who season 14.

The Beatles and Cilla Black can now be added to the list of historical figures encountered by the Doctor in the modern era, even if he only really spoke directly with Paul McCartney. Casting such iconic members of the Liverpool music scene from the 1960s was always going to be difficult, but the actors who snagged the roles are all well-suited to their respective parts. While none of the genuine music from either artist is featured in "The Devil's Chord," it's still exciting to see such revered figures appear in Doctor Who.

The Four Beatles Actors In Doctor Who Season 14 Explained

Some of the actors playing The Beatles in "The Devil's Chord" may be more recognizable than others

Paul McCartney is arguably the most important of the four Beatles in "The Devil's Chord," as he gives the Doctor the most information/context for when music started to fade from existence. McCartney is played by George Caple. As well as snagging a one-off role in Tin Star, Caple has interestingly already appeared in Doctor Who. Caple played Alfie in Doctor Who episode 13, episode 5, "Survivors of the Flux." John Lennon is played by Chris Mason, who has the most impressive list of previous credits out of the four actors.

Ringo Starr is portrayed by James Hoyles, who has appeared mostly in a handful of short films.

Mason appeared as Leo Humphries in seven episodes of Broadchurch season 3, a project of former Doctor Who showrunner, Chris Chibnall. In addition, Mason played Chad Gekko in seven episodes of Riverdale season 5. Ringo Starr is portrayed by James Hoyles, who has appeared mostly in a handful of short films. Philip Davies, who plays George Harrison, shares a similar level of acting experience with Hoyles, with 2015's Snow short among Davies' filmography.

Ringo Starr and George Harrison don't directly interact with the Doctor or Ruby.

Who Plays Cilla Black In Doctor Who Season 14, Episode 2

Cilla Black is used sparingly in "The Devil's Chord"

Cilla Black's role in Doctor Who season 14, episode 2, "The Devil's Chord" is similar to that of Ring Starr and George Harrison. While her presence is a nice reference to the period of British history, she doesn't have much screen time. Black is played by Josie Sedgwick-Davies, with her highlights being a smattering of musical moments, including a short duet with Millie Gibson's Ruby Sunday during the episode's closing number. Sedgwick-Davies' most high-profile role before her Doctor Who appearance was as the voice of Frizzle in 2023's Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget.

A new episode of Doctor Who is available to stream on Disney+ each Friday.