January 22nd, 2016
128 comments
We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.
Steven Moffat to Step Down as Head Writer After S10
BBC announces Steven Moffat’s next series of Doctor Who will be his last and confirms Chris Chibnall as new Head Writer and Executive Producer.
After six incredible series at the helm, the multi-award winning Steven Moffat has decided to step down as the lead writer and executive producer of Doctor Who.
Steven took over the reins on Series 5 in 2010 and during his tenure the show has become a truly global success. He has been responsible for introducing the Eleventh and the Twelfth Doctors in Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi; as well as two companions Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) and iconic characters and monsters including River Song (Alex Kingston), Missy (Michelle Gomez), Rory (Arthur Darvill) and the terrifying Weeping Angels. Plus, the smash hit 50th Anniversary special in 2013 which saw fans around the world celebrate the world’s longest running sci-fi series with the Doctors, Matt Smith, David Tennant and John Hurt battling the deadly Daleks in a feature length episode. Steven’s final series will air on BBC One in Spring 2017 and there will be a Christmas Special in 2016.
Steven Moffat says : “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.”
Like Steven, Chris Chibnall is also a lifelong Doctor Who fan and a multi-award winning writer and executive producer. He has most recently achieved huge success with the triple BAFTA winning hit ITV series Broadchurch. His other credits include BAFTA nominated The Great Train Robbery, United, Law & Order: UK, Life on Mars and Torchwood. Chris Chibnall’s debut series will launch in 2018.
Chris Chibnall, new Head Writer and Executive Producer : “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.”
Charlotte Moore, Controller, BBC One says : “I want to thank Steven Moffat for everything he has given Doctor Who – I’ve loved working with him, he is an absolute genius and has brought fans all over the world such joy. I will be very sad to see him leave the show but I can’t wait to see what he will deliver in his last ever series next year with a brand new companion. 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! I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome Chris Chibnall, a wonderfully talented writer who I know will bring something very special to the hit series.”
Polly Hill, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning says : “Like Charlotte I would like to thank Steven for his brilliance, which has made Doctor Who a global hit under his tenure. Chris Chibnall is the perfect successor to take over the reins of this incredible show, so I am delighted that his love for Doctor Who has made it impossible for him to resist! Chris is an incredible writer and his vision and passion for Doctor Who gives it an exciting future and promises to be a real treat for Doctor Who fans across the world.”
The Doctor Who Site
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Merchandise
Flickr
YouTube
A
September 18th, 2016 - 8:39pmJust reached Hungry Earth/Cold Blood in my mega binge watch for Wholess 2016 & I’m thinking, whatever one thinks of Chris Chibnal’s scripts, couldn’t the return of the Silurians be a great story for the Doctor? A military against sharing the planet with apes, a political class somewhat ambivalent & a scientific class more enthusiastic, plus two 21st century humans advocating for peace. Then there’s whatever the “survivors” made of their thousand years to prepare humanity for the return of the Silurians. Given what Torchwood & UNIT did in less than a century, just think of the influence they could have. Just saying.
David Tennant is my doctor!
September 5th, 2016 - 5:50amI am glad that Moffat is leaving. I mean not to offend anyone (Cause I know someones gonna take this the wrong way and whine) But Moffats stories for Capaldi have gotten boring. And I think we need something new. Maybe a new Doctor maybe a new Writer but hey what do I know? This is just my opinion so don’t whine about it if it “offends” you.
hannah.pages
June 15th, 2016 - 2:49amI love Steven Moffat’s stories, and his love for DW really shines through the plots. I am really going to miss him, but I have a feeling Chris will do a good job. He wrote Human Nature\Family of Blood which, in my opinion, were very intriguing.
Chris has a well-balanced imagination and I have high hopes for him. Anyway, he deserves a chance, but I can’t even imagine the disappointment if he screws things up.
We have to also consider that there will also be a new Doctor coming in; so that will affect the mood of the stories as well. These next couple years are going to be interesting.
Professor Dynamo
March 16th, 2016 - 6:27pmI think this is a terrible idea and if Steven Moffat steps down I will feel like Doctor Who has become extinct and that they replaced it with a show from the 1700’s. Steven Moffat is my most favourite writer in The Doctor Who History so if he leaves the show it will become nothing anyone will ever want to watch this amazing, fantastic show ever again
Sincerely,
Professor Dynamo 🙁
Jason [Doctor Who One] from Deviant Art
February 21st, 2016 - 3:52pmI love the idea of Steven Moffat’s era ending, either with the series 10 finale or the 2017 Christmas Special, whichever happens to be the last story written by Moffat, with the return of his very first ever bad guy at the start of the Moffat era . . . . the one who began it all at the beginning of the 11th Doctor . . . .
PRISONER ZERO !!.
Now yeah, you could say to me “dude that creature died !!”, but we never actually saw it get killed off. For all we know, the Atraxi sent it back to prison, even thou Zero did say “the Atraxi will kill me this time” . . . . but we don’t know if they really did, plus it’s not like the Doctor had made sure they did.
I love the idea of the 12th Doctor facing Prisoner Zero, getting it’s revenge on the Doctor, even if he is no longer Matt Smith. Nice way to end the Moffat era with the creature that began it all !! 😀
D.ALEK
February 20th, 2016 - 3:21amchibnall is a mediocre to poor DW writer;this does not bode well;hope Capaldi stays on & is not replaced with a tenant-style fop.
Jason [Doctor Who One] from Deviant Art
February 20th, 2016 - 7:09amCapaldi is leaving with Moffat next year. He feels Chibnall should have his own Doctor when Chibnall starts his era of Doctor Who with series 11 in 2018.
Anonymous
February 22nd, 2016 - 10:25am“He feels Chibnall should have his own Doctor when Chibnall starts his era of Doctor Who with series 11 in 2018.”
Absolute nonsense spread by tabloids desperate to sell their rubbish. IF Capaldi leaves (and that is an if) then we will hear of it in due time when he has actually made his mind up.
The Mirror get stories “right” because they endlessly churn out stories like this, because one of them will eventually be right and everyone will forget the nonsense they got wrong along the way. Remember when Jenna Coleman was leaving in last years Christmas Special?
Anonymous
February 22nd, 2016 - 1:25pmHa ha – so so true.
Whether Capaldi leaves or not, we still have him for another whole series…and if it’s anything like series 9 then we are in for a treat!