Doctor Who Boss Steven Moffat Quits
And you thought Jenna Coleman‘s exit was big.
Doctor Who boss Steven Moffat has announced that he will step down as showrunner after the show’s upcoming 10th season. He will be replaced by Broadchurch scribe Chris Chibnall.
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“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,” Moffat said in a statement. “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 joined Doctor Who in Season 5. During his tenure, he was responsible for introducing the Eleventh and the Twelfth Doctors (Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi, respectively), as well as two companions Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman). His farewell season is slated to kick off on BBC America in Spring 2017, although he is expected to oversee this year’s Christmas special.
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Chibnall, who will take the reins in Season 11, is a lifelong Doctor Who fan. “It’s a privilege and a joy to be the next curator of this funny, scary and emotional family drama,” he said. “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.”
What do you think about the behind-the-scenes switch? Do you suspect Capaldi will make Season 10 his swan song as well? Hit the comments!
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