Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat has revealed that the new series “feels more serious.”

The writer told SFX in the magazine’s new issue: “One of the watchwords we have this year is there are consequences for choosing to live like this. It’s not a fairytale. If you have people back home, if you run away it’s going to have an effect on them. And it’s not necessarily always going to be lovely. And does the Doctor make you better?”

He teased: “We want to make it feel that these adventures can hurt…”

Discussing Peter Capaldi’s portrayal of the Doctor, Moffat commented: “He’s not as immediately approachable and he’s not necessarily looking for your approval. I would like to restore the sense that when he says ‘Wait here, I’ll be back’ you really hope he’ll be back, but you’re not absolutely convinced… What he’s not doing is reassuring you very much.”

The showrunner also hinted at how the Doctor’s new persona will affect his relationship with companion Clara: “From a Doctor she could sort of control, because he had a crush on her, she’s landed with a Doctor who barely registers that she’s a girl.”

He added: “They’re great friends and all that but she has to be his human interface with everybody else.”

The new issue of SFX is on sale from Wednesday.

Series 8 will begin on BBC One on Saturday 23 August with a feature-length premiere episode entitled ‘Deep Breath’.

> Here’s everything we know about Series 8 so far.

What are you hoping to see in Series 8? Let us know below…