Doctor Who Series 12: BBC told STARBURST series airs autumn 2019

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Contrary to what BBC Entertainment Correspondent Lizo Mzimba heard from his sources in Doctor Who production, STARBURST magazine reached out to the BBC and heard a very different story.

Mzimba had cited sources from the production team who were “adamant” that the quality of the series not be compromised by a set transmission date goal.

STARBURST says they were able to contact the series’ production office for confirmation of this rumour, one way or the other, and reported:

The BBC was happy to go on the record about the programme’s short-term future. There had been a lot of chatter about Jodie Whittaker’s second run in Series 12 being planned for a broadcast in the spring of 2020, rather than in the autumn of 2019 as everyone had originally assumed. This is not true.

Not only that but they were told that Series 12 went into production this week!

There is some remaining doubt about STARBURST’s assertions. If the BBC is “happy to go on the record” about this, why haven’t they? STARBURST didn’t give the name of or a direct quote from the source they spoke to in the Doctor Who production office.

What’s this from the concept artist? No other option? Does this imply some coercion?

And the story is not entirely positive. They also allege that the BBC talked a reluctant Chris Chibnall into working with the new BBC autonomous commercial subsidiary, BBC Studios to be the showrunner for Doctor Who.

The implication is that Chibnall is happier working with his own production company and will bow out after Series 12. They also allege that Jodie Whittaker will leave with him.

If this is true, that leaves some time for BBC Studios to put a plan in place for Series 13.

We’ll keep you posted when we learn more about Series 12 production and transmission.