The BBC has renewed Doctor Who for Season 11, which is slated to air in 2018 with new showrunner Chris Chibnall at the helm.
Per RadioTimes, current showrunner Steven Moffat will exit the long-running British sci-fi series at the end of the 12-episode 10th season, which has now been pushed to spring 2017.
Moffat will also oversee this year’s Christmas special.
Explaining the decision to delay Moffat’s last season until 2017, BBC1 controller Charlotte Moore said:
“I have decided to schedule Steven’s big finale series in Spring 2017 to bring the nation together for what will be a huge event on the channel. 2016 is spoilt with national moments including the Euros and Olympics and I want to hold something big back for 2017 – I promise it will be worth the wait!”
Of his decision to quit Doctor Who, Moffat said:
“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. 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.”
Incoming showrunner Chibnal said:
“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. 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.”
Stay tuned as we now monitor the status of Doctor Who Season 12…
ItsMeNotU says
Steven Moffat To Exit. I hope he goes back to The Musketeers. He was great in that role.