In anticipation of the Time Lord’s return in October, the BBC has today announced the full creative roster behind Doctor Who season 11.
Showrunner Chris Chibnall was on-hand to introduce each member of the team, four of which are directors: Sallie Aprahamian, Jamie Childs, Jennifer Perrott and Mark Tonderai. Two of those filmmakers have already cut their teeth on the Doctor Who saga, and viewers ought to recognize Jamie Childs as he was the one who actually shot Jodie Whittaker’s debut as the Thirteenth Doctor during the 2017 festive special.
Meanwhile, on the writing front, we have multiple award-winning scribes, including Ed Hime of Skins fame and Joy Wilkinson, who has shot to stardom with her TV script for The Life and Adventures of Nick Nickleby.
A full breakdown is included below, along with a quote from each respective creator about Doctor Who and what the hit sci-fi series means to them on a personal level.
Sallie Aprahamian (Extremely Dangerous, The Sins, and Real Men)
“I watched the First Doctor from behind the sofa through my fingers, frightened and exhilarated. I was really delighted, as a fan and as a director, to be invited to work on the first female Doctor’s series. What a brilliant time to be on the show!”
Jamie Childs (Doctor Who)
“We tend to avoid making many shows in Britain that really allow the audience to properly escape, and Doctor Who has been doing this for decades. So yes, sign me up – I’ve always wanted to be part of that! There really aren’t many shows made over here that allow the viewer to travel to another universe.”
Jennifer Perrott (The Ravens, Doctor Who)
“Doctor Who is an iconic show and one I’d loved as a child, especially when Tom Baker was the Doctor. Space travel has become more a part of modern life and this has opened the door for more human stories to be told amidst the escapist fantasy of saving the world from alien invasion. The aliens are now as emotionally complex as the humans, and I was really excited by that.”
Mark Tonderai (Gotham, Lucifer, Black Lightning)
“What was really crucial in my decision to direct the show was Chris Chibnall. I’m a huge fan of his and I like the way he sees the world. He has this ability to entertain and also deliver truths – questions, too – about who we are. And he does it all with a hint of a smile.”
And now, let’s turn our attention to the screenwriters tasked with creating Jodie Whittaker’s debut season, which we know will blaze a path of its own by delivering a number of standalone adventures, rather than the multi-part sagas of old. We should note that Chris Chibnall will also be contributing to the scripts alongside the following writing team.
Via BBC:
Malorie Blackman (Pig-Heart Boy)
“I’ve always loved Doctor Who. Getting the chance to write for this series has definitely been a dream come true.”
Ed Hime (Skins, The Incomplete Recorded Works of a Dead Body)
“Writing for this series comes down to the adventure really, and telling emotionally engaging stories to bring everyone along with you.”
Vinay Patel (Murdered By My Father)
“I grew up watching shows like Star Trek and Quantum Leap on the edge of my dad’s bed, and I loved how they managed to capture the imagination of a kid like me as well as acting as a moral compass. I never imagined that I’d get to write for Doctor Who – I was pretty thrilled.”
Pete McTighe (Wentworth)
“My entire television career has quite literally been an elaborate plan to get to write Doctor Who – and no one is more shocked than me that it paid off. I’ve been having the time of my life working with Chris, and writing for Jodie and the new team, and can’t wait for everyone to see what we’ve been up to.”
Joy Wilkinson (The Life and Adventures of Nick Nickleby)
“I loved the show and felt like it might be a good fit for me, but I knew it was really hard to get onto. So quite frankly I’m still pinching myself to be here!”
Chibnall climbed aboard Doctor Who season 11 in place of Steven Moffat and Brian Minchin, who stepped down alongside Peter Capaldi late last year. A bold new era awaits then, and we simply can’t wait to see what the BBC’s creative team rustle up at the beginning of October. Stay tuned for more.