While Russell T Davies has confirmed that Doctor Who spin-offs are in the works, one won’t be a show aimed at children — because budgets for kids’ TV are just too tight!

The showrunner says:

“It’s an ideal, but we’re coming back to a world in which money in children’s [TV] is in even shorter supply. Even with all the good will in the world, we’d find it very hard to do now, unfortunately. There are fantasy shows – they do do stuff. But our stuff is expensive.

“You also have to keep the spin-offs looking as good as the main show, in order to maintain the entire brand – that’s part of the problem as well. So it’s genuinely tricky. There is no plan at the moment for children’s, and I’m sad about that, but just affording it would be hard.

“Hopefully! We’ll get there, give us time.”

It certainly is a shame: the last “children’s” spin-off was The Sarah Jane Adventures, which proved to be the best Doctor Who spin-off, capturing the feel of 20th Century Who and tackling big topics like homelessness, familial relationships, and grief.

Nonetheless, at least Davies is optimistic that one could still happen.

This is, of course, very telling of the industry. Children’s TV has suffered a lot, with the regular afternoon slots on main channels abandoned in favour of dedicated channels that are still being whittled away. Yes, it might sound good that kids’ TV has set channels that run for the majority of each day, but losing a schedule on main channels like BBC1 and ITV1 means there’s less focus on and importance given to accessible television for youngsters by an adult audience. It’s easy to forget that Blue Peter exists, for instance, if you don’t catch the last 15 minutes of it when you come home from work.

Fortunately, Doctor Who has always been family viewing, so there’s still something to bring everyone together on a weekend night…

The fourth volume of The Eleventh Doctor Chronicles resumes its 12-part story arc in three experimental, timey-wimey stories, directly continuing from a crashing cliffhanger in Geronimo! It’s a boxset like no other, with the Eleventh Doctor (voiced by Jacob Dudman) and his cyberneticist companion Valarie Lockwood (Safiyya Ingar) travelling across All of Time and Space, as it says on the tin.

As a matter of fact, the title itself is directly quoted from The Eleventh Hour, when Amy enters the TARDIS for the first time, as spoken by the Doctor:

So… all of time and space, everything that ever happened or ever will – where do you want to start?

And that leads to the titular first episode (which also shares the boxset’s title), written by Tim Foley, where Ellery Quest* (Leroy Bonsu) pitches a stage play to Mr Darling (Richard Hope) about a certain time traveller and his new companion. It’s all metatextual, as Quest reads portions of the script and hilariously hums the theme music, only to be on the run from the multiplying Mr Darlings with help from the Doctor and Valarie.

(* Ellery Quest is also the writer’s pseudonym.)

If the distinctive storytelling weren’t enough, there are also plenty of hilarious moments throughout, with the Doctor and Valarie in the form of Punch and Judy style puppets (a direct callback to The Snowmen) being the absolute highlight. I couldn’t stop laughing my head off whenever they spoke with high pitched voices (done in post-production, according to sound designer Lee Adams), as they were found by Quest in Covent Garden – one of my favourite places to visit in London. Very much a Moffatian homage of sorts to the best scene in Blink, where the Tenth Doctor communicates with Sally Sparrow and Larry Nightingale via DVD Easter eggs. Fits perfectly on audio, right?

As a fan of Foley’s writing, his script goes far beyond the universe with the cleverly comical concepts in the boxset’s titular opener. On that note, let’s just say that the metatextual plot and themes are significantly different to The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot and the Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers film (yes, the one with Ugly Sonic), in the funniest way possible.

The second episode, written by Angus Dunican, takes the Doctor and Valarie to a literal nightmare scenario on Medrüth, where citizens Roanna (Mia Tomlinson), Hoster (David Dobson), and Wyler (Mark Rowley) are sheltered inside an underground bunker against The Yearn (voiced by Sam Clemens). A “base under siege” horror with the titular panther-like creatures made from gestalt energy, it thrillingly establishes a claustrophobic atmosphere with fascinating results. Kind of reminds me of The Web of Fear with the Great Intelligence taking control of the Yeti… plus a few human allies. (The Intelligence isn’t involved, despite its recurring appearances in Series 7.)

Originally planned as the second story for the previous boxset, I’m glad it didn’t end up being Valarie’s first trip in the TARDIS. But more to the point, the romantic relationship between Valarie and Roanna provided some strong LGBTQ+ representation; something I hope we’ll get more of in the forthcoming volumes.

The third episode, Curiosity Shop, written by James Goss, sees Valarie making regular visits to “Mr Foreman” in his junkyard and telling him stories about her adventures with the Doctor in the TARDIS (known to him as “Barbara”, after his former companion Barbara Wright) to help him regain his memories. (No, this isn’t 76 Totter’s Lane. It’s a junkyard on an unnamed planet, in the midst of an intergalactic war.) But at a cost: she exchanges her cybernetic body enhancements for money to buy food from Golas, played by none other than TV legend Derek Griffiths who many would remember from their childhoods.

Goss’ script takes the overarching narrative to a whole new level with its non-linear structure. Extraordinary character-driven storytelling with emotional depth and nostalgic tributes to multiple eras, right from the start to a whopping (big) finish. In addition to the writing, there’s also Jacob Dudman’s sublime impressions of the First, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Ninth, and Tenth Doctors. I love how he faithfully captures the nuances and mannerisms of each incarnation, in character as Mr Foreman, whilst sliding back and forth between the Eleventh.

And let’s not forget about Safiyya Ingar, who delivered such an emotional and motivational performance throughout the episode, by resonating with Dudman and Griffiths to keep the script flowing. I’m amazed with how they made extensive progress to Valarie’s character development across the entire boxset, thanks to the power of storytelling and its positive outcomes.

Overall, this is not only, by far, the best Eleventh Doctor Chronicles volume in the range, but I also consider it one of Big Finish’s greatest releases of 2023. Perfectly timed for the 60th anniversary celebrations, as well as acting as a proper prelude to Series 7B and The Day of the Doctor (10 years approaching!), hence why Dudman described the whole serialised arc as “Series 7a.ii”. All thanks to director Nicholas Briggs and script editor/producer Alfie Shaw for bringing this outstanding boxset to life!

As we’re already halfway through, I wonder if the final two boxsets will feature some familiar faces, such as the Daleks or Cybermen? Well, good thing that the fifth volume has been moved forward to this coming December, with the sixth and final due to be out in February 2024.

Furthermore, you might also want to check out The Galois Group (from Short Trips Volume 12), brilliantly narrated by Ingar, since it directly ties in with this boxset. And you’d also be interested to check out the interviews with Caroline Tankersley, in the behind-the-scenes of both this boxset and its predecessor, where she discusses her inspirations for the amazing cover artworks. Magnificent stuff!

All of Time and Space is available now from Big Finish.

Returning Doctor Who executive producer, Julie Gardner, says one of the most important things to get right for Series 14 is to deliver on the “big and extremely ambitious” scripts by showrunner, Russell T Davies.

It’s always exciting to hear more about upcoming episodes, and while it’s no shock that Gardner is bigging up not just the show she’s working on but also the scripts penned by her friend, her enthusiasm (alongside Davies’) is nonetheless infectious. She says:

“There’s only one worry on Doctor Who: that production delivers on the extraordinary quality of Russell’s writing. He’s writing amongst his best-ever work. The scripts are big and extremely ambitious. The only worry I ever have is that we get it right for him. We run to keep up.”

Her comments are made in the latest Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition, focused on Showrunners, and she further explains:

“[Russell is] the beating heart of the creative offering that is Doctor Who. It’s his vision on screen, which starts in his ideas for episodes. He writes the majority of scripts and talks with the script team about who and when additional writers come in. His creative decisions impact the budget, and vice versa, so he’s across the headlines of budgets and the dynamics of what happens on any day in the shoot. He’s on every single casting email, and his voice is always the most important in the mix. But I’m happiest when he’s in front of his computer screen, writing. That’s the bit no one else in our [executive producer] group can do.”

Gardner is one of the heads at Bad Wolf, the production company jointly making Doctor Who now, a new era for the programme. But of course, she’s worked on Doctor Who before, with Russell, so we know the series is in good hands.

Doctor Who Series 14 will begin in early 2024, with Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor and Millie Gibson as new companion, Ruby Sunday.

VFX Coordinator Siân Reynish promises Marvel-like, cutting edge technology is being used to film Doctor Who Series 14. And for the first time ever, that includes using drone cameras to record TARDIS scenes!

Reynish also implies that Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor is an energetic version of the Time Lord who darts around his trusty Space-Time Ship. Siân says:

“We’re using top-of-the-range technology, the kind that Marvel films use, to make Doctor Who in Wales, which I think is pretty spectacular. It means Doctor Who is at the forefront of pushing the boundaries.

“And in the Christmas Special, we’re shooting with drones on the set, which no one’s done before. Because of the way the Doctor races erratically around the TARDIS, it’s amazing to have those sorts of shots.”

We expect Gatwa to make his full debut as the Doctor in this year’s festive special, although we’ve seen his brief cameo of him in the Next Time trailer for the 60th anniversary episodes. We’re intrigued to see how Ncuti is involved in the celebrations, given that the focus will be on David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor.

But of course, we’re excited to hear more about Gatwa, and Reynish further teases:

“I think he’ll bring such a new dynamic. He’s young and fun. The crew say he’s up for anything, and I think he’ll really make it his own and not try to copy the mannerisms of anyone else. He’s really individual, and that’s what we want – a new new Doctor!”

We cannot wait.

But we’ll have to. Nonetheless, the Fifteenth Doctor will debut later this year on BBC1, with Series 14 coming in early 2024.

Doctor Who Redacted proved very popular when it was released but news of a second series having been commissioned seems to have come as a bit of a surprise. The first series saw a group of podcasters who have become best friends and are university drop outs. Their podcast was about the three investigating appearances of a strange blue box, and people’s memories of the Doctor mysteriously vanishing.

News of the second series came out when TARDIS Central posted on Twitter about it being on the online CV of writer, Karissa Hamilton-Bannis, stating that she would be writing one of the upcoming episodes.

In keeping with the previous run, the series will keep Juno Dawson as the head writer. However, there is a new producer in the form of James Goss, replacing previous producer Ella Watts. This has understandably been met with some controversy.

While Ella wishes Goss the best (he has been a writer and producer for Big Finish for many, many years, and has also written Doctor Who in other mediums), she did state in a post on Twitter that she was upset by having been replaced on the BBC project without any explanation, despite saying that she wished to remain on the project once the first series had finished.

Redacted was popular and seemed to surprise a lot of people; while I’m still to listen to it, I know there are a lot of cameos from various Doctor Who characters, including the Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker). At this time, there is no news on whether the original characters from the podcast will be returning or if Series 2 of Redacted will follow on a different storyline completely. But we can guess that it will be released later in 2023 to coincide with the other celebrations for the 60th Anniversary.

The BBC has unveiled Doom’s Day, a new multi-platform event storyline launching later this year, as part of Doctor Who‘s 60th anniversary celebrations.

Launching later in 2023, this standalone series follows Doom, the Universe’s greatest assassin, played by stand-up comedian and actor Sooz Kempner, as she travels through all of time and space in pursuit of the Doctor to save her from the ever-approaching Death. She only has 24 hours and a vortex manipulator to save herself before her fate is sealed forever.

Someone has sent literal Death after Doom. She can only outrun it for 24 hours. Unless she can find the Doctor. A number of fan-favourite characters will feature along her journey too.

Sounds a lot like Time Lord Victorious, right?

Russell T Davies says:

“Doom’s Day is a huge new adventure for the whole Doctor Who universe – starring the brilliant and hilarious Sooz Kempner as an intergalactic assassin. Her adventures will span comics, audio, a novel, video games stories and more, expanding the world of Doctor Who into brand new territories. Beware the Doom’s Day, it’s coming for us all.”

Sooz Kempner says:

“To be part of the Doctor Who universe, a British institution up there with cups of tea and James Bond, is surreal and amazing! I love everything about Doom and can’t believe I get to travel across time and space with her.”

This isn’t to be confused with the Series 2 finale, Doomsday… although if you google images for Doom’s Day right now, you will be faced with a wall of David Tennants and Billie Pipers on Bay Wolf Bay…

Doom’s Day will kick off on Doctor Who digital channels later this year followed by products from Doctor Who Magazine, Titan Comics, Penguin Random House, East Side Games, Big Finish, and BBC Audio, each telling a section of Doom’s story.

Each partner will create their own adventures for Doom’s Day, each focusing on one of the 24 hours Doom has left on the clock. The standalone stories will also have an overarching narrative that will play out before the finale which will release on digital channels.

We have months to wait for the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials, but one of the best ways to distract yourself from the anticipation is listening to some Big Finish audios.

From the Classic era to the New Series and various spin-offs, there are plenty of full-cast audio dramas worth recommending as starting points, for dedicated Doctor Who fans and casual listeners alike. So here is our Top 10 New Series audio recommendations in release order, all of which are magnificent in different ways! But it’s always advisable to watch the TV episodes beforehand. So let’s start with…

1. The Tenth Doctor Adventures Volume 1

The first New Series audio release with David Tennant and Catherine Tate reprising the roles of the Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble respectively. Set during Series 4, this anthology consists of:

• Technophobia by Matt Fitton
• Time Reaver by Jenny T Colgan
• Death and the Queen by James Goss

A brilliant variety of standalone stories, each taking place in the past, present, and future. Packed with nostalgia and charm of Russell T Davies’ first era as showrunner, it’s definitely worth the listen in preparation for the 60th!

Volume 1 comes with PDF scripts for each story, which are available to download for free in your accounts. Perfect for reading alongside the audios, this is a must for fans and aspiring writers who are keen to understand how the Big Finish scripts are formatted.

With the Limited Edition deluxe slipcover book — sadly no longer available on the Big Finish website — you can still purchase the digital download which comes with a behind-the-scenes documentary and a feature on Doctor Who at Big Finish. However, there’s also the Standard Edition boxset if you still wish to purchase this volume on CD.

2. The Tenth Doctor Adventures Volume 2

The second volume in the range, with Billie Piper reprising the role of Rose Tyler in her Big Finish debut. Set during Series 2, this anthology consists of:

• Infamy of the Zaross by John Dorney
• The Sword of the Chevalier by Guy Adams
• Cold Vengeance by Matt Fitton

Just like its predecessor, each story takes place in the past, present, and future. What I love about Volume 2 is that it features Camille Coduri reprising the role of Rose’s beloved mum Jackie Tyler in Infamy of the Zaross, then the Ice Warriors as the main villains in Cold Vengeance. A brilliant way to bring about some familiarity into the mix. And despite the numbering, you can listen to both volumes in either order, whichever way you like.

While the Limited Edition is currently available to purchase on CD (together with a digital download), there is still yet to be a Standard Edition set (the same goes for Volume 3). Why not pop in a request to Big Finish?

3. Regeneration Impossible

Yes, I know this is a Short Trip (only available to download), but what’s unique about Regeneration Impossible is that it’s a full-cast audio with Jacob Dudman performing both the Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors.

Written by Alfie Shaw, it’s an experimental masterpiece in the Short Trips range, with Dudman nailing his impressions of Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi. Basically a half-hour taster of the Steven Moffat era incarnations; set before The Snowmen, for the Eleventh incarnation; and set during Series 10, for the Twelfth.

I can also say that it’s worth listening to before Geronimo! (More on the boxset later.)

4. The Out of Time trilogy

The nostalgic multi-Doctor series with the Tenth Doctor teaming up with three Classic era incarnations against three different familiar enemies:

• Out of Time 1, by Matt Fitton, features the Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) and the Daleks.
• Out of Time 2: The Gates of Hell, by David Llewellyn, features the Fifth Doctor (Peter Davison) and the Cybermen.
• Out of Time 3: Wink, by Lisa McMullin, features the Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker) and the Weeping Angels.

A perfect opportunity for first-time listeners to hear how David Tennant interacts with his predecessors, as well as what they’re like on audio. Many Whovians should note that Tennant was a big fan of Tom Baker’s Doctor during his childhood, and later Davison, his father-in-law, whom he starred alongside in the Children in Need 2007 minisode, Time Crash.

Despite each story being released individually once a year, from 2020 to 2022, it’s best to purchase the entire trilogy as a bundle to save money, so that you can either listen to them in release order or mix around. If there were to be another multi-Doctor trilogy featuring David Tennant, I would love it to be a boxset with with the First, Second, and Third incarnations (à la Star Wars prequels), respectively voiced by Stephen Noonan, Michael Troughton, and Tim Treloar.

And feel free to check out Josh Snares’ Out of Time 1 fan animation. It’s actually one of the best fan projects I’ve ever seen!

5. The Tenth Doctor and River Song

The de facto fourth volume of The Tenth Doctor Adventures, featuring the Doctor’s (future) wife and recurring companion as played by Alex Kingston (Happy 60th Birthday, Sweetie!). It’s a brilliant opportunity for River Song to reunite with David Tennant’s incarnation, after making her debut in Steven Moffat’s acclaimed two-parter Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead. Set after the Series 4 finale The Stolen Earth/Journey’s End, this anthology consists of:

• Expiry Dating by James Goss
• Precious Annihilation by Lizzie Hopley
• Ghosts by Jonathan Morris

It’s an experimental boxset that gives a flavour of expanding River Song’s timeline on audio, as a way to get listeners interested in her spin-off series The Diary of River Song. Considering that she and her husband don’t meet in the right order, these stories don’t form a serialised arc (which I don’t mind), hence why you can purchase either the full boxset (with behind-the-scenes) or each release individually.

And with the Fifth and Sixth Doctors making cameos in Expiry Dating, despite the former incarnation appearing on the cover artworks, I think it might have foreshadowed the Out of Time trilogy. Or could it have just been a coincidence? Well, to quote a popular catchphrase, “Spoilers!”

6. Dalek Universe 1

The first volume of an epic nine-episode story arc, spread across three boxsets; something which previously hadn’t been done in Big Finish’s Tenth Doctor range. I call this an extension of Series 4 and the 2009 specials, produced in the most satisfying way. Reunited with former companion Anya Kingdom (Jane Slavin) and android Mark Seven (Joe Sims), the Doctor encounters the Mechanoids and some familiar enemies in:

• Buying Time/The Wrong Woman by John Dorney
• The House of Kingdom by Andrew Smith

It’s a perfect starting point for Whovians and casual listeners alike, delivering some of the most shocking plot twists and cliffhangers, with plenty of nostalgic callbacks to the Classic era. And despite the Daleks being (almost) entirely absent from this boxset, you won’t be disappointed. Because they prominently feature in the next two volumes alongside Davros (Terry Molloy), River Song, and many more.

Honestly, I love the first three episodes, but I would like to share a few words from my review:

The two-part opener outstandingly shapes up the Dalek Universe arc by mixing in the vibes of both the Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat eras on an epic, thrilling scale.

Dalek Universe 1 can be purchased separately, or as a bundle alongside the second and third volumes (I personally recommend the latter); and with or without its prequel The Dalek Protocol, featuring the Fourth Doctor, Leela (Louise Jameson) and K9 (John Leeson).

If the entire Dalek Universe miniseries isn’t the only Big Finish highlight of 2021, there’s also…

7. Respond to All Calls

Winner of the #BF2021 Twitter poll, the second volume of The Ninth Doctor Adventures features Christopher Eccleston reprising the role of the Ninth Doctor, more than 15 years after stepping down. (Isn’t he still fantastic!) Set before meeting Rose Tyler in Series 1, this anthology consists of:

• Girl, Deconstructed by Lisa McMullin
• Fright Motif by Tim Foley
• Planet of the End by Timothy X Atack

Three standalone stories each taking place in the past, present, and future, capturing the vibes of the RTD era. It’s a fantastic boxset which feels more suited as a starting point than Ravagers (no offence to Nicholas Briggs); something that I completely agree with Ida Wood, from their review:

All in all, it’s an improvement on the first set of audio episodes, which were very much contributing to one longer story, and has original ideas as well as top-class performances from its leads. The vigour of Eccleston is a delight to hear, and has been long-awaited after his many years out of the role.

According to Tim Foley in the behind-the-scenes, Respond to All Calls was initially intended to be the first volume, to allow Briggs more time to write Ravagers. Nonetheless, this is my absolute favourite release in the range thus far, despite enjoying all the other seven volumes. So, buy it now and treat yourself to the trip of a lifetime!

Once you’re done, feel free to check out this live stream from 2021, where the Big Finish team discuss the production process of Girl, Deconstructed (my favourite Ninth Doctor audio story).

8. Timejacked!

The second volume of The Twelfth Doctor Chronicles, but also Big Finish’s first full-cast audio release featuring the Twelfth Doctor (voiced by Jacob Dudman). Set during Series 10, this anthology consists of:

• Flight to Calandra by Matt Fitton
• Split Second and The Weight of History by Lou Morgan

An experimental three-part arc with unbelievably outstanding results, the Doctor is whisked away from St Luke’s University by Time Agent Keira Sanstrom (Bhavnisha Parmar, best known for playing Yaz’s sister Sonya Khan), as they embark on a wibbly wobbly, timey wimey adventure from planet Calandra to Bath, 1813. It’s a brilliant opportunity for fans to hear Dudman nailing his Peter Capaldi impression, as highlighted in Ida Wood’s review:

With each go at the Twelfth Doctor that Jacob Dudman gets, the stronger his performance grows, and in Timejacked!, he does an absolutely brilliant job that should convert anyone whose interest is undone purely on if the original actor is not in the role.

While Timejacked! may be the only full-cast Twelfth Doctor boxset so far, there’s always hope for more volumes in The Doctor Chronicles range. If Dudman’s unable to reprise the role, maybe Dan Starkey could take over after narrating Emancipation of the Daleks and The Three Flames (from Short Trips Volume 12)?

9. Tenth Doctor, Classic Companions

Yes, the one where he reunites with Leela, Nyssa (Sarah Sutton), Ace (Sophie Aldred), and K9 in:

• Splinters by John Dorney
• The Stuntman by Lizzie Hopley
• Quantum of Axos by Roy Gill

Forming a loose story arc, this anthology opens the doors for listeners to get to know some of the Doctor’s former companions from the Classic era — an homage to how he reunited with Sarah Jane Smith in my all-time favourite episode School Reunion, a good few decades after travelling across the universe.

It’s a shame, however, that there are currently no plans for a second volume of Tenth Doctor, Classic Companions, but we should be grateful for the variety of stories combining multiple eras. And despite reuniting with Ace in this boxset, I don’t have a problem with these events contradicting The Power of the Doctor, which also features the return of Tegan Jovanka (Janet Fielding).

And last, but definitely not least…

10. Geronimo!

The third volume of The Eleventh Doctor Chronicles, but also the first in a 12-part story arc which spreads across four boxsets. Set during Series 7, the Eleventh Doctor (voiced by Jacob Dudman) and his cyberneticist companion Valarie Lockwood (Safiyya Ingar) begin their epic journey across the universe in:

• The Inheritance by Alfie Shaw
• The House of Masks by Georgia Cook
• The End by Rochana Patel

As it says on the tin, Geronimo! is the definitive jumping-off point for anyone who wishes to try out an Eleventh Doctor audio. Just like the entirety of Dalek Universe, the serialised structure gives enough leeway for character-driven storytelling and nostalgia to properly tie in with the respective TV episodes.

But that’s not all. I’ve been overwhelmingly impressed with Dudman’s uncanny Matt Smith impression, since way before he joined Big Finish. Here’s what I had to say in my review:

Every time I hear the Eleventh Doctor in these audios, I don’t picture Jacob Dudman. I picture Matt Smith. Completely identical and uncanny, he perfectly captures the incarnation’s vocal essences and mannerisms throughout the entire boxset, just like in the previous volumes. It is sad news, however, that Dudman is stepping down from the role after six years, but I respect his wishes. Nevertheless, doing a story arc across four boxsets is the best way for him to bow out (not referring to bowties, which are indeed cool).

And if you enjoyed this boxset, you’d also want to check out its immediate successor All of Time and Space – another whopper!

Overall, Big Finish has plenty of audios to choose from, including our Top 10 New Series recommendations which you can purchase on CD/digital download or Limited Edition vinyl. It’s an expanding universe of storytelling, ranging from Doctor Who and various spin-offs to other franchises; hence why I love their current tagline, For the Love of Stories.

There has been fan speculation of the Doctor Who centenary special The Power of the Doctor having plenty more footage than we initially saw. During a panel at the 2023 Gallifrey One convention (documented in a Twitter thread), former showrunner Chris Chibnall confirmed that the original cut was 110 minutes (1 hour, 50 minutes) long, with an extended version of the Master’s hilarious Rasputin dance.

Can you believe it? Almost two hours long! I know I’m not the only fan who wishes to see what was originally planned for Jodie Whittaker’s final episode as the Thirteenth Doctor, but I have hope that an extended cut would make a nostalgic addition to the 60th anniversary celebrations.

So… what if the BBC could do a limited theatrical release for 23rd October, exactly a year after the 90-minute special was first broadcast? Considering its cinematic aesthetics and feature-length running time, I think it’d fit perfectly on the big screen; just like The Day of the Doctor and Deep Breath. Plus, who wouldn’t want to see Daleks, Cybermen, and returning companions and Doctors at the cinema?! And a home media release on DVD/Blu-ray/digital download to follow weeks later, as a way to coincide with the forthcoming 60th anniversary specials with the Fourteenth Doctor (David Tennant)? Do your job, BBC Studios!

In the meantime, why not check out the shooting script for The Power of the Doctor?

Featured image edited by Owen/@WhovianLife.

New showrunner, but an old hand at Doctor Who, Russell T Davies has said that episode 4 of Series 14 is “one of the greatest things” he’s ever worked on.

Okay, so we’re used to hype, but Davies is apparently particularly enthused with this episode and has said it’s “one of the greatest things I’ve ever made in my life”.

This was then backed up by director, Dylan Holmes Williams, who added:

“As the lucky man who got to direct this incredible script, I’ve got to say I’m very excited about what we created.”

Davies has previously teased that he’s doing things on Doctor Who that he’s never done before, so it sounds like we’re in for a real treat.

Series 14 will be the first full run of episodes with Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor, who will debut later this year, sometime during the 60th anniversary celebrations. He’ll be joined by Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday. It’s also the first season with Davies as showrunner since Series 4, although he also oversaw and wrote the majority of the 2009 Specials which saw David Tennant bow out as the Tenth Doctor. He will, of course, return as the Fourteenth Doctor for the next three episodes.

It sounds like Russell is throwing everything at the new series, which is no great shock — he did with Series 1 too, and look how brilliant that turned out to be!

Series 14 will air on BBC1 and Disney+ sometime next year.

The rumours that a new Doctor Who spin-off based around UNIT have been strengthened after a new report by The Mirror, which speculates that Jemma Redgrave will be the lead, returning to her role as Kate Stewart.

After new showrunner, Russell T Davies, announced that there will be Doctor Who spin-offs, many fans thought that UNIT was the most likely candidate. Now, The Mirror is reporting that these rumours are true and that there will also be a spin-off programme based around the monsters of Doctor Who.

A curiously curt source said:

“Doctor Who has always featured strong women in positions of authority.”

Uhm, indeed. That relates to Kate Stewart reportedly being the lead of this UNIT-based series, which doesn’t come as a huge surprise, as she’s the Chief Scientific Officer at the organisation, and its figurehead. She’s the daughter of Doctor Who legend, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.

UNIT first appeared in the Second Doctor era then played a core part in the early Third Doctor era. They’ve played recurring roles ever since, showing up again in 21st Century Who from Aliens of London/ World War Three, written by Davies. Kate Stewart debuted in Doctor Who in 2012’s The Power of Three, with Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor, returning for the 50th anniversary special, The Day of the Doctor. UNIT has since been in several stories, including The Zygon Invasion/ The Zygon Inversion, Survivors of the Flux, and The Power of the Doctor.

UNIT has carried a few series already — on audio for Big Finish, and for Candy Jar Books, both ongoing.

At this stage, it’s still just a rumour, but we think it’s pretty likely; so too is a spin-off with a classic Doctor Who companion, similar to The Sarah Jane Adventures.

Doctor Who Series 13 (aka Flux, as it was called) proved to be Marmite. I personally enjoyed it, though it did falter in the final few hurdles and just scraped through without being woefully bad. But did you know that it was almost cancelled entirely and Doctor Who could have almost ended with Revolution of the Daleks?

Speaking in a recent interview with fan-favourite podcast Radio Free Skaro, former showrunner Chris Chibnall explained that he and the BBC had some serious doubts that the show would be able to be made during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said:

“There was a week where it was not going to be made. There was a week where I’d been offered another job. And because the BBC was just like — the BBC studios — ‘Where’s the money coming from? How are we going to do this? Is it too difficult?'”

He went on to explain how the decision to go ahead with filming the new series went down to the wire, how it all came to a head in one hour. Everyone had to sacrifice things including Jodie Whittaker who had been quite in demand and had to pull out of a few jobs she had lined up for when the original filming schedule had said she was finished. Because of this, the new schedule moved filming to when a few of her other jobs were due to take place.

While there were other aspects of this that Chibnall decided to not divulge, it seems clear that it was a real pain to get completed. Of course Doctor Who wasn’t the only television show or film to have been impacted by the pandemic, but it did seem to be one that would be impacted the most. We saw the photos of the cast and crew in their isolation bubbles so it must have been hard not being able to see family, something that many seemed to take for granted before the pandemic. But it’s times like that we need to remember that even though we might not have overly enjoyed the Chibnall era, they did sacrifice a lot to bring Jodie’s final series to screen. And although it peters out at the end, maybe thanks to the pandemic, this would have been unavoidable. So perhaps it’s time to stop blaming Chibnall entirely?

Hopefully he’ll be doing some more convention appearances soon, because I feel there is a lot he has to say about his time working on Doctor Who and for the BBC that he hasn’t said. By having these discussions, we could finally start getting a much fairer overview of the Chibnall era to see what happened to make it go a bit wrong, outside of some rather lacklustre writing.

The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine celebrates arguably the greatest Doctor Who spin-off of all time, The Sarah Jane Adventures.

DWM #588 includes a 28-page retrospective of every story in the much-loved spin-off that ran from 2007 to 2011 and starred Elisabeth Sladen; plus there are new interviews with stars Daniel Anthony, Tommy Knight, and Anjli Mohindra, as well as lead writer Phil Ford.

The issue also includes:

• Liberation of the Daleks Part Five – the adventures of the Fourteenth Doctor continue in the epic comic-strip adventure written by Alan Barnes and illustrated by Lee Sullivan.
• Letter from the Showrunner – Russell T Davies on the return of The Sarah Jane Adventures to iPlayer, and the changes that had to be made.
• Production Diary – script editor Scott Handcock files his latest report on the forthcoming episodes, direct from Doctor Who’s HQ.
• Gallifrey Guardian – all the latest official news, including exclusives from Russell T Davies, executive producer Phil Collinson, and two of Doctor Who’s new directors.
• Visual Thinking – an interview with Siân Reynish, Doctor Who’s new VFX co-ordinator.
• 60 Objects, 60 Years – from a giant maggot in 1973 to K9 in 1977, the latest instalment of this series tells the story of one object from every year of Doctor Who’s history.
• The Fact of Fiction takes to the high seas as it looks back at the Eleventh Doctor adventure, The Curse of the Black Spot.
• Other Worlds – the essential guide to forthcoming stories in Doctor Who’s expanded universe.

PLUS: Previews, reviews, prize-winning competitions, Time and Space Visualiser, and more.

Doctor Who Magazine #588 is on sale now, priced £6.99 (in the UK).

David Tennant is seemingly appearing as the Fourteenth Doctor for this year’s Comic Relief charity appeal.

Tennant will be presenting a segment of the TV marathon himself, alongside AJ Odudu, Joel Dommett, Paddy McGuinness, and Zoe Ball. And from some set photos, it appears that there might be a sketch with the Fourteenth Doctor, i.e. David as the latest incarnation of the Time Lord.

Nothing has been revealed, however, so perhaps he’s donned his new look solely for the promotional teaser, with Spyfall‘s Lenny Henry.

There are clips from a few sketches in the trailer; already confirmed are special scenes for The Traitors, Blackadder (called Baldrick’s Bedtime Story for Comic Relief), and Ghosts, the latter of which will feature Kylie Minogue (who some people know for her parade of songs, but let’s face it, she’s better known for appearing in Voyage of the Damned).

It would be a lovely surprise to see more of the Fourteenth Doctor, but if so, it’ll likely be a lighter, out-of-canon affair, as with some previous contributions like The Curse of Fatal Death.

Comic Relief begins at 7pm on 17th March 2023, and you can donate by visiting bbc.co.uk/rednoseday or by calling 03457 910 910. To donate £5, £10, £20, £30, or £40 pounds, text the word FIVE, TEN, TWENTY, THIRTY, or FORTY, respectively, to 70702. And you can buy a range of charity products from retailers including Amazon, TK Maxx, and Home Sense.

There are rumours that Steven Moffat is coming back to Doctor Who under Russell T Davies, who is the new showrunner.

Moffat, of course, worked with Davies a number of times — popular episodes including The Empty Child/ The Doctor Dances, The Girl in the Fireplace, and Blink basically cemented him as the next showrunner; a role he took on with Series 5 (2010). He stayed with the programme until Twice Upon a Time (2017).

And although Moffat has said that he wouldn’t come back as showrunner, The Mirror is reporting that he is coming back to write at least one episode for the Fifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa).

A mysterious source said (in something of a damning evaluation of the past few years, it has to be said):

“Russell’s on a mission to make Doctor Who great again, event television not to be missed, which is what it was for many years during his and Steven’s tenures in charge of the show.

“One of the ways he can do that is to ensure he has the best possible people writing for the programme.

“He has nothing but respect for what Steven achieved with the show and was a fan of his vision as showrunner. He approached him about returning in just a writing capacity because he knows Doctor Who inside out and has a brilliant imagination for adventures in space and time. He took some convincing but the chance to contribute to a show he has loved since childhood and see it blossom in a new era with a new Doctor was just too much to resist.”

The Mirror often gets these sorts of things right. (Then again, in the headline, they spell Steven’s name wrong, and call John Hurt “William Hurt”…) We certainly wouldn’t be surprised: Moffat and Davies have always been good friends, and Steven has seen Gatwa in action. Why wouldn’t he jump at the chance to work on a new era?

This might be controversial, but personally speaking, I think Moffat is Doctor Who‘s best writer. Robert Holmes is shoulder to shoulder with him, of course, but I’d welcome Steven’s return. His vision of Who is one that aligns most closely with mine, his era (especially the Eleventh Doctor’s tenure) a pinnacle of the franchise to me, so seeing what he’ll do with an exciting new TARDIS team is a tantalising opportunity.

Moffat nonetheless has his detractors, but then, so does everyone. Either way, it’d be excellent to get a mix of fresh and returning writers. I’d love to see Neil Cross, Toby Whithouse, Pete McTighe, Rona Munro, and Jamie Mathieson (to name just a few) to write for the series again; and as for newbies — how great would it be to get Sally Wainwright’s Doctor Who?!

Katy Manning, who played Jo Grant opposite Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor in the early 1970s, has said that “people” (and for that, we’re reading “former companions”) will be coming back for some upcoming spin-offs. And that might just include Jo!

At a BFI screening of the classic adventures, The Sea Devils, Manning was asked about the future of the character and of the franchise; she replied:

“There will be spin-offs, there will be people returning – I do know that. I think Granny Jo […] is a glorious character now – this woman with all these children, championing the world… and the thought of this extraordinary old lady of 77…

“I think it’d be lovely if she just occasionally comes in for a very good reason. They’ll bring lots of people back but I hope that Great Granny Jo gets just a little kind of nod here and there.”

Jo made a cameo appearance in Jodie Whittaker’s swansong as the Thirteenth Doctor, The Power of the Doctor, assembling alongside other former companions like Sophie Aldred as Ace, Bradley Walsh as Graham O’Brien, and William Russell as Ian Chesterton.

And new showrunner, Russell T Davies has confirmed that there will be Doctor Who spin-offs coming soon, as the next step for the brand. So might a companion-centric show, a la the much-missed The Sarah Jane Adventures (which Katy Manning also appeared in, opposite Elisabeth Sladen as the lead and Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor), be in the works? Our money is on Ace coming back at least.

A Doctor Who Confidential series, taking us behind the scenes, is pretty likely too.

Either way, it looks like we will see some former companions of the Doctor return for some new adventures in the future, and we can’t wait…

Christopher Eccleston will return as the Ninth Doctor in a new series of audio adventures from Big Finish — which begins in May 2023!

In May 2021, Eccleston came back to the role he first played in 2005’s Doctor Who Series 1, with The Ninth Doctor Adventures; he’ll star in a third series of 12 episodes, told across four boxsets.

Christopher Eccleston said:

“This series is brilliantly varied in tone and content. It feels just as fresh as when we started on the first audio series. We’re a well-oiled machine now.”

The three adventures in Pioneers are: 

• The Green Gift by Roy Gill 
• Northern Lights by Robert Valentine 
• The Beautiful Game by Katharine Armitage

Producer David Richardson said:

“Picture this: we’re on a short break in recording The Ninth Doctor Adventures. Chris pops over to the control desk and asks our engineer to put some Barry White songs on the speakers. Out blares the music, and Chris starts dancing around the room. Our director, Helen Goldwyn, then joins in, dancing away at the director’s station, while gradually everyone else gets with the rhythm and starts to sway. For a good five minutes, the Ninth Doctor studio is lost in music. 

“I share this because it sums up for me what it’s like working on these productions – everyone is so relaxed, and there’s just an infectious sense of fun and energy. If we want to dance then we’re going to dance! I think it’s significant because all of that energy and joy ends up right there in the episodes. We’re just having the time of our lives.” 

The Ninth Doctor Adventures: Pioneers is now available to pre-order as a four-disc CD box set (and download) for £29.99 or as a digital download only for £22.99. You can save money by pre-ordering all four volumes of the third series together in a bundle for £108 (collector’s edition CD box set and download) or £88 (download only).

Chris Chibnall has only just left the role of showrunner, so of course, he’s already being asked whether he’d return to Doctor Who.

And the answer, seemingly, is now.

When asked, Chibnall replied:

“Oh my God, I’ve only just finished! I’ve been across 31 episodes for the last five years of my life. I’ve just gone out, finished it last October. There’s no prospect of that whatsoever.”

And he’s very much enjoying solely being in the dark again too, as he explains:

“It’s Russell [T Davies]’s now, I’m so happy to be a viewer. I cannot wait to see David [Tennant, the Tenth and Fourteenth Doctor], I cannot wait to see Ncuti [Gatwa, the Fifteenth Doctor] — the most amazing casting.”

Of course, this is the standard line for outgoing showrunners. Steven Moffat has said he wouldn’t return. Russell T Davies said he wouldn’t return.

Then, Davies returned.

Situations change. It’s that simple. But for now, it seems like the architect of the Thirteenth Doctor era is ruling himself out of Doctor Who.

Chris’ last Doctor Who was also Jodie Whittaker’s swansong as the Thirteenth Doctor, The Power of the Doctor, which also brought back numerous previous Doctors and introduced Tennant again as the Fourteenth.

Chibnall’s first episode, 42, was all the way back in 2007, and also starred Tennant, that time as the Tenth Doctor alongside Freema Agyeman as Martha Jones. He’s since written stories for the Eleventh and Thirteenth Doctors, plus Torchwood.

Would you like to see Chibnall back? Perhaps under another showrunner? Or do you think it’s the right time for him to have moved on?

Ben Chessell has been announced as director of Block Four of the next season of Doctor Who. What’s more, we’re promised that his episodes will take the programme into “genuinely new territory”…

Executive producer, Phil Collinson revealed:

“Our search for directors reached all the way to Australia, to find Ben.

“One of the greatest shows I’ve ever seen on television is Joe Barton’s Giri/Haji for the BBC, with the spectacular finale directed by Ben. It broke all the rules of what television can achieve, so we knew he was a perfect fit for this two-episode block, which takes the whole show into genuinely new territory. We were all wondering how to achieve what’s on the page, but Ben has marched in to show us how!”

Ben first came to prominence with his 2002 short, The Only Person in the World, and has since directed Dance Academy, Rush, The Great, and Doctor Doctor — sadly not a spin-off series about a certain Time Lord.

Chessell joins previously-announced directors of Series 14, Mark Tonderai (Rosa), Dylan Holmes Williams, and most recently, Julie Anne Robinson, who will helm Block Three.

Doctor Who Series 14 will be the first full run of episodes with new Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, alongside Millie Gibson as companion, Ruby Sunday; Russell T Davies returns as showrunner, writing the majority of the season alongside some as-yet-unannounced screenwriters who can only speculate about right now.

Series 14 will air next year, with the Fifteenth Doctor expected to debut properly this Christmas (although he made a surprise cameo in the 60th anniversary trailer, so we will see him before that…).

It’s hard to believe, but it’s 15 years since the pilot of Toby Whithouse’s BBC Three drama Being Human was screened. The episode had such good feedback that a series was commissioned, and the programme would go on to run for five successful seasons up to 2013, even spawning a US remake.

In a wide ranging discussion looking back at the series, Whithouse expanded on the debt Being Human owed to Doctor Who‘s relaunch, why character will always trump special effects, and his prediction that budgets in the era of streaming will have to be reined in.

Being Human focussed on an unlikely house share involving a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost, who lived a dual existence of mundane jobs and everyday tasks whilst also battling against various threats, both supernatural and earthly. Cast members such as Russell Tovey, Aidan Turner, Lenora Crichlow, and Michael Socha were given early breaks in their careers as series regulars.

“I think that everything, to a certain extent, is a product of its context.” says Whithouse. “Every year there’ll be some show that surprises everyone with its success, that it’s somehow completely captured the public’s imagination. If you look at something like Broadchurch, that was just a phenomenal success. It was very well written, very well made, but something about it just clicked with the public at that moment.”

Whithouse has contributed scripts to Doctor Who, of course, and has been talked about as a candidate for series showrunner a number of times. He acknowledges Russell T Davies’s success in reviving Doctor Who as a key influence in bringing Being Human to the screen:

“The thing Russell did so beautifully with Doctor Who was mixing genres because he approached that very sci-fi show with a lightness of touch. I think Buffy is a good comparison, the notion of there being everything quite character related, being quite comedic, but with very dark moments. I think it was that first kind of successful experimentation with mixing genres.” 

On the current state of genre TV in the age of streaming giants like Netflix and Disney ploughing money into their series, Whithouse offers his perspective:

“It feels now that we must now approach things as if they were a $200 million movie. I think we’ll gradually shift back because the model we currently have is kind of unsustainable. To sort of justify $100 million, or $2 million per hour long episode, at the very least, you’re going to have to be drawing in that kind of audience. But with the sort of saturation that’s happening, that audience is just going to be spread too thinly.”

Read more from Toby Whithouse’s interview at Radio Times. Being Human is available to stream in the UK on ITVX.

Please excuse a little self-promotion, but Candy Jar Books has just announced The Benton Files 3, which includes a short story written by me — don’t let that stop you from buying it though, as it also includes a great short by Andrew Allen!

The Benton Files is a series of books featuring reminiscences from the aged John Benton, telling tales of his exploits from yesteryear. In The Benton Files 3, the stories focus on the erstwhile sergeant’s time as a second-hand car dealer, running JB Motors.

The first story is Wickard’s World by Andrew Allen. Andrew has previously contributed short stories and the novel The Haunting of Gabriel Chase to the Lethbridge-Stewart range. Andrew says:

“The Benton Files would have worked very well as an ITC television show in the style of The Protectors or Man in a Suitcase, and it was this spy-fi, slightly outlandish (but told in sixty minutes or less) vibe that I wanted to incorporate into my story. I also enjoyed cartoons that had robots turning into cars and, with this, the other elements of my story fell into place.”

The second story is my A Right Old Run Around. I’ve been following the Lethbridge-Stewart range since The Forgotten Son and have been itching to get involved somehow; when I heard that Candy Jar’s next phase would be licensed UNIT stories, this felt like an ideal opportunity to repeatedly badger Shaun and Tim to give me a shot!

Tim came back with a great idea for me to work on. It seemed inspired by some of the Marvel comics I love, and this felt like a perfect fit. I tried to channel a bit of Ant Man, a bit of The Terror of Tim Boo Ba, a bit of The Dæmons, and fully embrace the sometimes ridiculous side of Doctor Who. Saying that, while it was important for me to give Benton and readers a fun little romp, there’s a real responsibility and weight to writing this much-loved character, adding to his story and ultimately the story of UNIT. A Right Old Runaround might be a tiny footnote in this incredible sprawling narrative, but I’m very excited and proud that I could tell this grand adventure on a small scale.

Range Editor Tim Gambrell says:

“What we have in The Benton Files 3 is a pair of slightly outlandish stories which show that, even in civilian life, Benton’s past endeavours won’t let him rest quietly. And, as we would expect, he’s more than up for such adventures and perfectly capable of handling things by himself. Because The Benton Files stories are told in the first person, the real challenge for the writers is judging how much Benton can get away with revealing about his past without compromising the story he’s telling. It’s a balancing exercise between rambling banter, engaging storytelling and the Official Secrets Act.

“Andrew and I rolled a few ideas around before we settled on his story. I was originally pushing things along a much darker avenue, but that would have clashed uncomfortably with Philip’s story and its more humorous tone. As it turned out, what Andrew delivered was pretty much perfect.

“Philip ran with the basic storyline I gave him and came back with a yarn that also pretty much landed precisely where I wanted it to, matching humour with moments of real drama and action. I think what we’ve ended up with is a pair of stories that complement each other well: similar, yet not too dissimilar. As for those darker ideas I had… Well, there’s plenty more numbers after ‘3’ and there’ll be plenty more opportunities for other stories!”

Here’s the blurb for The Benton Files 3:

Join retired Sergeant Major John Benton, as he recounts two more tales of his exploits from yesteryear. Life proves to be no less quiet and retiring for Benton after his time with UNIT, when he’s running JB Motors in Wiltshire.

In Wickard’s World by Andrew Allen, Benton is offered an unusual used car to sell on by a friend, only to discover that the car has many hidden secrets.

In Philip Bates’ A Right Old Run Around, Benton tries to assist three fugitive aliens. The only problem is, they are only about 5mm tall. It turns out size is the least of Benton’s worries when their persecutors arrive.

Will Benton ever escape the legacy of his time with UNIT? Will JB Motors survive with its stock intact?

Read these two hair-raising adventures to find out…

The Benton Files 3 is free with the hardcover of UNIT: Operation Fall-Out. Please do not buy if you have already bought UNIT: Fall-Out, unless you want a second copy.