Doctor Who will return for a new season this autumn.

This news summary will be updated regularly as more details are revealed, with the latest updates at the top of each section. Rumours and unconfirmed reports will be marked with a *.

 

Episode 7: ‘Invasion of the Zygons’

Written by Peter Harness.

Directed by Daniel Nettheim (Filming block 4).

Guest cast: Jemma Redgrave as Kate Stewart, Ingrid Oliver as Osgood, Jaye Griffiths, Rebecca Front, Cleopatra Dickens, Sasha Dickens, Abhishek Singh, Todd Kramer, Jill Winternitz, Nicholas Asbury, Jack Parker, Aidan Cook, Shanaya Rafaat as newsreader Azi Kashani, Ben Nash as a police officer.

Official synopsis: “The Zygons, a race of shapeshifting aliens, have been living in secret among us on Earth, unknown and unseen – until now! When Osgood is kidnapped by a rogue gang of Zygons, the Doctor, Clara and UNIT must scatter across the world in a bid to set her free. But will they reach her in time, and can they stop an uprising before it’s too late?”

Brian Minchin: “Some rogue Zygons are trying to destabilise the peace and start a war between Zygons and humans. We’ve gone global on this with stories split across the world.”

Steven Moffat: “A long time ago, the Doctor made a deal in the Tower Of London. 20 million Zygons walk among us, in human form, living undetected in peace and harmony. But cracks are showing in this delicate peace. Humans and Zygons are disappearing. In city apartment blocks, lifts are going missing, and far below the streets of Britain, alien pods are growing in secret caverns. Unit’s scientific advisor, Osgood, sends a desperate message to the Doctor – but since Osgood is long dead, how is that even possible?”

Steven Moffat: “…’The Day of the Doctor’ acted as a prologue to it. In it, the Zygons made peace with the Humans, but not every Zygon decided it was okay so they’ve been raising an army, silently and now they’re rising against UNIT!”

Steven Moffat: “I really like what we’ve done with the Zygons. It’s a terrific story. We’ve got this cracker of a two-parter. It’s a really good use of the Zygons. I’m really, really pleased with it.”

Peter Harness: “It’s nice to do a cliffhanger. And I tried to do the biggest cliffhanger I possibly could.”

Ingrid Oliver: “The Zygons are also back. There is only one person who can deal with it: the Doctor… and maybe Osgood, a little bit. You’ll have to see!”

Ingrid Oliver: “As every actor who’s worked on Doctor Who will tell you, there’s always the secret hope you’ll get the call asking you to come back. To actually receive that call is both unexpected and brilliant. The word ‘honour’ gets banded about a lot, but it really is, it’s an honour. Especially because I was so sure Osgood was a gonner after the last series!”

Peter Harness: “It’s a bit unbelievable to be bringing [the Zygons] back again – and also Osgood as well, another fan favourite. It’s a privilege to be telling a story about those two, and I think it’s quite an exciting story as well.”

Steven Moffat: “Osgood is back, fresh from her recent murder at the end of last series. We recently confirmed that Osgood was definitely dead and not returning – but in a show about time travel, anything can happen. The brilliant Ingrid Oliver is back in action. This time though, can the Doctor trust his number one fan?”

Jemma Redgrave: “I’m here in Cardiff and really, really happy and thrilled because Kate Stewart is back.”

Peter Harness: “I’d love to write for Doctor Who for as long as I possibly can … I’m very happy to write past, present, future, parallel dimension or whatever.”

Steven Moffat: “‘The Day of the Doctor’ is all about the Doctor’s personal jeopardy, not really how terrifying the monsters are, but the Zygon design is so good – and the new ones can really move – that I’d like to bring them back again, make them proper frightening.”

 

Continued on the next page…