The challenges of production during the pandemic almost curtailed plans for a thirteenth series of Doctor Who, according to Chris Chibnall in a Radio Times interview.
“That we made Doctor Who at all during the past two years is a miracle. There was a point around April/May 2020 where it looked like we’d have to call it a day after [my first] two series.”
What might have convinced him to move forward was that other shows based in Wales were going ahead with production under strict COVID-19 safety protocols.
Doctor Who Assistant Director Lauren Pate was an early pioneer working on a science fiction television show under strict COVID protocols when she worked on Series 2 of War of the Worlds with former Doctor Who director Richard Clark before rejoining Doctor Who production in November of 2020.
#WOTW2 #Covid ninjas. pic.twitter.com/5QHd10gGQa
— Richard R Clark 🇺🇦 (@rclarkie) July 16, 2020
Chibnall explained to Radio Times that even if he hadn’t already decide to leave after filming a third series of Doctor Who, the stresses of working under COVID conditions would have convinced him not to remain.
“If [Jodie Whittaker and I] hadn’t already planned to leave after series three, there’s no way I’d be staying on now after going through that experience.”
The next episode of Doctor Who, a swashbuckling piratical Easter special written by Chris Chibnall and Ella Road and directed by Haolu Wang, Legend of the Sea Devils airs 17 April at 7:10pm BST on BBC One and at 2:10pm and again at 8:00pm EDT on BBC America.
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