Steven Moffat exits ‘Doctor Who’

Steven Moffat

All is not well in the TARDIS today as in a joint statement Steven Moffat and the BBC have announced that the show runner is to exit the series in 2017 to be replaced by ‘Broadchurch’ helmer Chris Chibnall. Not only that but the next series of the long running show will not make it to our screens until Spring 2017!

In his statement 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.”

Moffat took the top job on ‘Who’ for Series 5 in 2010 and is credited with making the show the globe success that it is today. His time in the TARDIS introduced the Eleventh (Matt Smith) and the Twelfth Doctors (Peter Capaldi); as well as much loved companions the Ponds (Karen Gillan & Arthur Darrell) and not forgetting the audience polarising Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman).

Steven’s final series will air on BBC One in Spring 2017 and there will be a Christmas Special in 2016. It’s important to note that the move to airing ‘Doctor Who’ in the Spring puts the show back in its original release time back when Russell T. Davies was in charge.

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.”

Fans of the ‘Who’ universe will know Chibnall for his writing credits on episodes of both ‘Doctor Who’ and spinoff series ‘Torchwood’.

How do you feel about no ‘Doctor Who’ until Christmas? Are you happy to see Moffat leave and the show return to a Spring premiere? Sound off below!