Doctor Who Series 14: production and crew updates

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New information about current Doctor Who production was revealed in Doctor Who Magazine 584.

The magazine contains a column from showrunner Russell T Davies explaining in detail how the reunion of David Tennant and Catherine Tate to celebrate the show’s 60th anniversary came about and how Davies reached out to the BBC to see if there was an opportunity for him to return. Davies explained to the magazine how the conversation begun, following a watch-along/tweet-along of The Runaway Bride, Tate’s surprise reaction and how Tennant said he’d do it in a heartbeat and Davies saying “As a former producer of Doctor Who, I had a job to do; if David and Catherine had expressed a wish to return, it was literally my job to let the BBC know. It wasn’t my choice any more. It was my duty.”

Catherine Tate and David Tennant Doctor Who 60th

The magazine confirmed the names of the directors for the three 60th anniversary specials to air November 2023; Rachel Talalay, Tom Kingsley and Chanya Button, respectively.

Davies declared that David Tennant is “unashamedly” the fourteenth Doctor, and there are “huge revelations to come and brand-new stories about a Time Lord’s life” coming in 2023.

A comic featuring David Tennant as the fourteenth Doctor striding through the thirteenth Doctor’s TARDIS interior is advertised on the cover of the Magazine. This is notable because the set for the thirteenth Doctor’s TARDIS was dismantled before David Tennant did any 60th anniversary filming. The comic could possibly act as a bridge between the thirteenth Doctor’s last episode The Power of the Doctor and the first 60th anniversary special.

The magazine also confirmed the Doctor Who production team for 2023.

Showrunner – Russell T. Davies
Executive Producer – Phil Collinson
Executive Producer – Joel Collins
Executive Producer – Julie Gardner
Executive Producer – Jane Tranter
Production Designer – Phil Sims
Producer – Vicki Delow
Producer – Chris May
Co-Producer – Ellen Marsh
Script Editor – Scott Handcock

Auditions for actors hoping to become the fifteenth Doctor’s companion took place on Saturday, 24 September 2022 in London with Ncuti Gatwa, Phil Collinson, Davies and casting director Andy Pryor in attendance.

 

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An actor has apparently been chosen. When Ellen Marsh was asked by DWM to what she is most looking forward, she answered “The new companion! I think they’re one for the ages.”

Pre-production officially began on 26 September. The director for the first filming block is revealed to be Dylan Holmes Williams. Williams told DWM “It’s such an honour to enter this universe.” Principal photography is expected to begin in December.

Davies also revealed in the magazine that at time of writing his column for the magazine, “I sit here with ten scripts in front of me (four Specials and six episodes of the New Series, so far, with Episode Seven blinking away on the screen, first line: INT. COFFEE BAR, USA – DAY, 1947, and to continue an old tradition, I can tell you that Special One contains these three words: westerly, pelican, dreams).”

Ncuti Gatwa will take control of the TARDIS as the fifteenth Doctor with his first episode airing over the festive period in 2023 on BBC One in the UK and Disney+ for international viewers.

Doctor Who Magazine 584 is available at newsstands in the UK and by digital issue on Thursday, November 10, 2022.