Though it’s been speculated about by fans for months, the BBC finally confirmed thatSteven Moffatwill return toDoctor Whoto write an episode for the upcoming season, which features Ncuti Gatwa in the role of the 15th Doctor, and signifies a fresh start for the series by calling it Season 1. Moffat will reunite with showrunner Russell T Davies, whom he first wrote for upon the series' revival in 2005, before becoming showrunner himself during the Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi eras of the iconic British sci-fi drama. While there were rumors that Moffat would write the 2024 Christmas special, it appears his talents will be utilized for an episode of the new season instead.
Doctor Who
Originally premiered in 1963, Doctor Who is a sci-fi series that follows a powerful being known as a Time Lord, referred to as the Doctor. Using an interdimensional time-traveling ship known as the TARDIS, the Doctor travels time and space with various companions as they solve multiple problems and help avert catastrophe as much as they almost cause it. Though the Doctor is always the same character, they experience regenerations, allowing them to be recast every few seasons as a unique immortal being with new personality traits.
The news was confirmed by way of aBBC press release, which touted the accomplishments of Steven Moffat over the years, like his creation of thefan-favorite villains, the Wheeping Angels. He also penned some of the series' most beloved episodes, including ‘Blink,’ and ‘Heaven Sent.’ In a statement released by Moffat, he said he’s sorry to those he “slightly misled,” while jokingly adding that he begged and pleaded for Davies to allow him to come back.
“Yes, okay, fair enough - apologies to everyone I’ve very slightly misled - I am in fact writing an episode of the series of Doctor Who. Exactly like I said I never would. What can I tell you? There was begging, there was pleading, but finally Russell agreed to let me have another go - so long as I got out of his garden. Working with old friends and a brand-new Doctor I couldn’t be happier. Sorry I was a bit reticent on the subject for so long. It was all part of an elaborate plan that would have delighted millions, but at the last minute I forgot what it was.”
Steven Moffat’s Doctor Who Episode Will Feel Like an Alfred Hitchcock Film
Moffat’s upcoming episode ofDoctor Whowill be directed by Julie-Anne Robinson, whose previous credits include two episodes ofthe acclaimed series,Bridgerton, an episode of the Stephen King seriesCastle Rock, andOrange is the New Black, to name a few. She said in a statement that it was an “honor” to directDoctor Who, while also sharing her admiration for Davies and Gatwa. Check out her comments below.
“It was a tremendous honour to direct episodes of Doctor Who for the BBC and Disney+. This beloved franchise is 60 years old and still going strong. It is part of our collective memory as Brits. I’ve always admired Russell T Davies and Ncuti Gatwa is an unbelievably talented actor who has stepped into the role of the Fifteenth Doctor effortlessly, alongside the equally talented Millie Gibson.”
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Millie Gibson, who made her debut as Ruby Sunday in December’s Doctor Who Christmas Special, will not return after the upcoming season of the show.
While little is known aboutthe episode that Moffat wrote forDoctor Who, Robinson did admit that it posed an “immense challenge” for her as a director. When she asked him to describe the tone he was going for, she says he summed it up with one word: “Hitchcock.”
“Steven Moffat gave me an intense challenge as a director. I asked him for a keyword to describe the overall tone of the episode. He said: ‘Hitchcock’. I can’t wait to see what everyone thinks. I’m grateful to Bad Wolf, the BBC and Disney+. It was an incredible experience.”
Season 1 ofDoctor Whowill begin streaming on Disney+ on June 16, 2025. Previous seasons are currently available to stream on MAX.
