Chris Chibnall will take over from Steven Moffat as showrunner on Doctor Who.
Only one episode will be on screens this year - the 2016 Christmas special - while Moffat's last 12-part run, Series 10, will air in spring 2017. Chibnall's first series will be on BBCOne in 2018; it's unknown whether the show will continue with this spring transmission once Steven departs or if it'll be in the autumn slot it's occupied for the last two years.
Series 1- 5 were all transmitted in the spring, while Series 6 and 7 were split between spring and autumn.
It's unknown if a new companion will debut this Christmas, but a replacement for Jenna Coleman's Clara Oswald will be in place for Series 10.
Moffat has been head writer and executive producer since Series 5, broadcast in 2010, and has worked alongside Chibnall on The Hungry Earth/ Cold Blood (which reintroduced the Silurians), Dinosaurs on a Spaceship, and The Power of Three. Chris' first work on Doctor Who was 2007's 42, and has since created the hit crime-drama, Broadchurch for ITV.
"Feels odd to be talking about leaving when I’m just starting work on the scripts for season 10, but the fact is my timey-wimey is running out," Steven Moffat said. "While Chris is doing his last run of Broadchurch, I’ll be finishing up on the best job in the universe and keeping the TARDIS warm for him. It took a lot of gin and tonic to talk him into this, but I am beyond delighted that one of the true stars of British Television drama will be taking the Time Lord even further into the future. At the start of season 11, Chris Chibnall will become the new showrunner of Doctor Who. And I will be thrown in a skip."
Chibnall, too, is a massive fan of Doctor Who, and was head writer on the first two series of Torchwood. "Doctor Who is the ultimate BBC programme: bold, unique, vastly entertaining, and adored all around the world. So it's a privilege and a joy to be the next curator of this funny, scary and emotional family drama," Chris enthused. "I’ve loved Doctor Who since I was four years old, and I’m relishing the thought of working with the exceptional team at BBC Wales to create new characters, creatures and worlds for the Doctor to explore. Steven’s achieved the impossible by continually expanding Doctor Who's creative ambition, while growing its global popularity. He’s been a dazzling and daring showrunner, and hearing his plans and stories for 2017, it’s clear he’ll be going out with a bang. Just to make my life difficult."
Steven ushered in two Doctors: Matt Smith's Eleventh and Peter Capaldi's Twelfth, and the former said this about his departure: "I’m sad to see Steven Moffat leave. He was a wonderful, wonderful asset to the show and I had the most amazing time with him. He’s a great friend, one of the greatest writers on the planet, and I think he’s just done wonders for Doctor Who. I’m forever indebted to him."
Naturally, everyone at Lovarzi would like to congratulate Chris Chibnall on his new appointment, and we look forward to the brilliant timey-wimey days ahead. And we also have to say a fond farewell to Steven... but not just yet. There's still 13 episodes of his wonderful tenure to go!
Images: BBC
