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December 9th, 2018 45 comments

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Doctor Who Series 12 To Air in 2020

As series 11 came to a close on BBC One tonight (Sunday 9th December) the show announced that series 12 is on its way and will be returning to BBC One in early 2020.

Series 11 marked a brand new era for Doctor Who with Showrunner, Chris Chibnall, taking control of the TARDIS. With Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, viewers saw the Doctor and her friends travel through space and time on adventures fighting monsters and conquering battles. Series 12 will see Jodie reprise her role as the Doctor and she will once again be joined by Bradley Walsh (Graham), Mandip Gill (Yasmin) and Tosin Cole (Ryan).

So far, from the first eight episodes, series 11 of Doctor Who has averaged a 4-screen consolidated audience of 8.4m.

Jodie’s first episode as the Doctor launched with a consolidated audience of 11 million making it the second biggest drama this year across all channels, while also placing it among the top 10 programmes in 2018 so far across all channels and genres. The episode received 3.7 million requests through BBC iPlayer.

Speaking of the return Showrunner Chris Chibnall said “We’re off again! Well we never actually stopped – as Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor and friends have been winning the hearts of families across the nation this autumn, we’ve been busy with a whole new set of action packed adventures for the Thirteenth Doctor. We adore making this show and have been blown away by the response from audiences, so we can’t wait to bring more scares, more monsters and more Bradley Walsh, Mandip Gill and Tosin Cole to BBC One. Brilliant!”

Charlotte Moore, Director of Content added, “We’re delighted that the Doctor and her friends will be returning to thrill audiences in 2020. I know Chris and the whole team are already working on a whole new set of exciting adventures. In the meantime we’ve got a very special episode on New Year’s Day for everyone to enjoy.”


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45 comments

  • techmki

    December 10th, 2018 - 8:02am

    I am surprised but I’m not really disappointed by this news. Surely, this recent series with all new people is not only a new Doctor and new series but serves as a litmus test. I think it’s wise to take time over the following series, reflect on the public reactions and not just quickly barf out anything.

    Reply
  • Anonymous

    December 10th, 2018 - 7:53am

    Not happy. Provide us with a bad series full of bad writing and bad monsters and then expect us to wait over a year for it to improve? Wow. In David Tennant and Matt Smith’s time they would have a series of 13 episodes including a Xmas Special that the new production team ‘ran out of ideas’ for, and would have good stories and great monsters consistantly, bar a few like the absorbaloff.

    Reply
  • Moonfall777

    December 10th, 2018 - 7:18am

    Well, I’m not terribly upset by this news. Unless the current crew has a Christmas Carol-type redemption sometime between now and 2020, then the show’s probably doomed anyway.

    Reply
  • CG

    December 10th, 2018 - 4:24am

    I really don’t mind the next series being 2020 – I would much prefer Jodie kept for AT least 3 series and with gaps of close to or around a year in between – I feel it provides continuity and would much rather gaps than constantly changing doctor and companions. I did find this series a tad underwhelming (some excellent stories of course) but I feel that keeping everyone for series 12 will be great and with some older monsters possibly even better!

    Reply
  • The Living Shadow

    December 10th, 2018 - 2:33am

    I have to say, I’m slightly disappointed because when I heard that Chibnall had a 5 year plan, I thought that meant that we would be getting lots and lots of content within that time (I didn’t think that a whole year of that plan would feature nearly nothing). Maybe I’m being entitled. Am I being entitled?

    Reply
  • Tall Timelord

    December 10th, 2018 - 12:30am

    Utterly disappointed by this news. After having to go all that time only to get ten episodes and now find out we have to go another year!
    Love the 13th doctor and the way she’s played but Chris Chibnall’s writing has been very hit and miss with some episodes being fantastic and others being utter piffle!
    Im getting a little bit disenfranchised with doctor who and it hurts me to say that as a long term fan since I started watching it as a boy in the 80s.
    Lets hope things get better!

    Reply
  • The Outcast

    December 9th, 2018 - 11:07pm

    Seriously. We’re gonna have to wait more than a year for the Series to actually arrive. 🙁

    Reply
  • Anonymous

    December 9th, 2018 - 10:34pm

    But it’s hardly a huge proportion of fans. I know 1 person who doesn’t like it. Everyone else at work, my friends and family all love it. That’s 1 out of about 50 people. At the end of the day it’s the viewing figures and the positive press reviews and fan reviews that the BBC will take notice of. As boo boo says, the positive have a quieter voice than the negative. I still remember Ian Levine picketing filming with signs saying jnt out! Now he would just type it!

    Reply
  • The Moffat Paradox

    December 9th, 2018 - 10:11pm

    How typical. While I’ve not been overly enamoured with this series, as well as the remaining controversy over the casting of the main character, NOT renewing a series in yearly succession is what, as Doctor Freedom says on YouTube, kills momentum and audience base/build up for a series. Classic tactic. There are question marks if not misgivings about the current direction of Who since series 11 and instead of seeking to answer/ allay them by coming straight out of the bat with a series 12 in 2019 there’s to be a years hiatus! (But then their not being able to do that is maybe part of the problem?)

    It’s also my understanding that Jodie Whittaker also wants to spend more time with her toddler child which is fair enough but as has been said elsewhere maybe she and Chibnall should have thought of that in accepting the gig.

    Reply
  • Tim M

    December 9th, 2018 - 9:51pm

    It’s more than a small portion. Like Brexit, Doctor Who has now split fandom in two. And I’m in the camp that is not happy about the style of story telling, which is boring, tedious and clearly Chibnall ticking the BBC’s equality boxes. Jodie is not a great Doctor, just alright at best. Her acting at times has been dreadful. Like she’s trying a bit too hard.

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  • Anonymous

    December 9th, 2018 - 9:32pm

    I think it’s so funny that people are still complaining about chibnall and how the show is terrible despite the fact the the show has had the highest ratings and audience appreciation figures in years! The BBC are not going to get rid of this successful team just because a small portion of vocal fans and unhappy.

    Reply
  • The Master

    December 9th, 2018 - 9:15pm

    Maybe they will have a New Years 2020 special followed by the series straight after! Does any get fed up of the constantly flipping the series between autumn & spring ! It’s a annoying!

    Reply
  • Master

    December 9th, 2018 - 9:12pm

    Starburst magazine recently confirmed that the series would air in autumn 2019 ! That seemed like an official story so what’s going on!

    Reply
    • booboo

      December 9th, 2018 - 9:15pm

      the only official news comes from the BBC, as this news has

  • Lorraine

    December 9th, 2018 - 9:05pm

    If they make decent powerful episodes and Jodie learns how to encompass the ethos of playing the Doctor I can wait until Spring 2020. Anything that makes the series work. How much is Chibnall paid for such slow input. Bring back some great enemies as this series they have been ridiculous and PLEASE less preaching and talking the action through rather than showing. Poor lazy writing.

    Reply
  • JJ

    December 9th, 2018 - 8:44pm

    Funny how RTD managed to bust out 14 episodes-per year 4 years running (Moffat tried but couldn’t keep up) and Chibnall can barely do 10.

    Reply
  • Tim M

    December 9th, 2018 - 8:33pm

    I think they would be better resting this series for a few years. Bring it back for the 60th anniversary in 2023. With that should come a Brand new show runner who want’s more memorable worthy monsters, less long drawn out tedious and oh so boring exposition, action adventure. A strong male Doctor with no more than two companions and stories giving viewers an edge of their seat adrenaline ride. That’s what will grab the viewers and bring them back week after week. Right, when can I apply!

    Reply
  • Mick C

    December 9th, 2018 - 8:32pm

    Early 2020 so its only going to be about 3-4 months later then this year,

    Reply
  • Anonymous

    December 9th, 2018 - 8:19pm

    Personally after watching this season I can easily wait till 2020

    Reply
  • DalekAgent

    December 9th, 2018 - 8:19pm

    This has really annoyed me that it wont be back until 2020 but i seem to remember Chris Chibnall saying something like “theres gonna be no more breaks with a series airing every year and no series’ split into two parts” in an interview somewhere

    Reply
  • Anonymous

    December 9th, 2018 - 8:12pm

    Have to say I think some people haven’t read the info correctly. They are not making the show in 2020 to be shown then, they have already started the new series pre-production from what chibnall is saying. Personally I think we may get a xmas day/new year day special 2019/2020 with the series airing early 2020.

    Reply
  • doctor whom

    December 9th, 2018 - 8:08pm

    bugger another no who year

    Reply
  • Anonymous

    December 9th, 2018 - 8:00pm

    Really liked series 11 and left me wanting more episodes. best series in a while. Shame we have to wait so long for the next series. BBC sort yourselves out, should have one series a year plus specials.

    Reply
  • Who rules

    December 9th, 2018 - 7:58pm

    Very few dramas get 10 million now. And yes, who has consistently attained high figures over the series so it’s up there for the year. It’s more likely to be to do with costs and cast availability. Yes, American dramas do 22 episodes but they reuse many sets, they are not having to create new places all the time. Look at say NCIS or CSI. Several main sets which feature heavily every episode virtually no special effects means they can do 22 episodes. And remember, compared to an American sci-fi show doctor who has a fraction of the budget. I’m old enough to remember the 16, yes 16 year gap. So chill out! This may become the norm, a year on a year off. It really doesn’t matter so long as we are getting a new series. Another thing, it takes an audience 10-12 weeks to watch who, it takes the cast and crew nine months to make! 22 episodes would be the same as say Tom Baker doing 44 episodes in one year! He did 26 the equivalent of 13 now. Who is coming back – that is all that matters

    Reply
  • Tyler Prescott

    December 9th, 2018 - 7:47pm

    “In the meantime we’ve got a very special episode on New Year’s Day for everyone to enjoy.”

    Series 11’s finale finishes today, the 9th December. The New Year’s Day episode is on the 1st January – about three weeks away.

    Assuming (and hoping) Series 12 is out Easter 2020, that’ll be a year and three months between the New Year’s special and Series 12. How is the NY special “in the meantime”?

    Of course, Series 12 could be September again, pushing it to a year and 9 months’ difference.

    Reply
  • Dalek Eye Stalk

    December 9th, 2018 - 7:46pm

    Chibnall can’t wait to write more pc agenda stories with weak villains, endless boringly tedious plot exposition explained by the Doctor and three companions, where one is always sidelined (which is usually Yas). Hmmmm can’t wait! :-/

    Reply
  • Anonymous

    December 9th, 2018 - 7:45pm

    If it’s such a blinding success why on earth are they taking a year off?

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  • Anonymous

    December 9th, 2018 - 7:41pm

    So stupid. So many 22+ episode season shows can handle a season a year like clockwork. This is just ridiculous.

    Reply
  • Anonymous

    December 9th, 2018 - 7:25pm

    May I just say. How is this season the second biggest drama of the year. I know the bodyguard had some of the highest viewing figures ever. But surly not second. I swear some ITV dramas get 10 million every episode.

    Reply
  • Anonymous

    December 9th, 2018 - 7:24pm

    Damn, the rumours are right, he really can’t handle doing a season a year.

    Reply
  • Anonymous

    December 9th, 2018 - 7:24pm

    Shame it’s only one episode 2019 but great news they are all back in 2020. Look on the bright side, we may get extra animated episodes on DVD to fill the gap!

    Reply

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