David Farnor | On 02, Dec 2019

Doctor Who Season 12 will officially start on New Year’s Day 2020, and the opening episode has a title: Spyfall.

The ten-part series will kick-off with the two-part episode, which sees the Thirteenth Doctor well and truly back with a bang. As Jodie Whittaker takes charge of the TARDIS once again, the Doctor will be joined by her friends Tosin Cole (Ryan), Mandip Gill (Yaz) and Bradley Walsh (Graham). The twelfth season will also welcome a host of famous faces including Stephen Fry, Sir Lenny Henry CBE, Robert Glenister and Goran Višnjić to name just a few.

Add to that some familiar faces including the Judoon and the Cybermen and Season 12 is set to be an epic action packed rollercoaster for everyone, just don’t stray too far from behind the sofa.

Spyfall has been written by showrunner Chris Chibnall. After Episode 1’s New Year’s Day debut, subsequent episodes will air weekly on Sundays. The precise broadcast time is yet to be confirmed, but you can expect a teatime slot. Read on below for the trailer.

 

Watch: First trailer for Doctor Who Season 12

23rd November 2019

“I’m not where I wanted to be, but I can work with this.” That’s the sound of Jodie Whittaker returning for Doctor Who Season 12, and the first trailer gives us a glimpse of what promises to be a step up for the Thirteenth Doctor.

Whittaker won fans over easily when she began her run in the TARDIS last year, alongside Tosin Cole (Ryan) Mandip Gill (Yaz) and Bradley Walsh (Graham). All of them are returning for a second run in 2020, with Chris Chibnall remaining as showrunner. And, judging by the new trailer, things are about to get darker and more action-packed, as we see everything from planes swerving and cars crashing to a glimpse of The Judoon and the Cybermen.

We also get a glimpse of Goran Višnjić, one of the many starry guests joining the fun, alongside Stephen Fry, Robert Glenister and Sir Lenny Henry.

There’s no release date yet, but with 2020 only a matter of weeks away, it won’t be long until Whittaker’s back. Watch this space for a confirmed date. Until then, here’s the trailer:

 

Doctor Who: Jodie Whittaker will return… in 2020

10th December 2018

Jodie Whittaker’s time in the TARDIS is far from over, with the Time Lord officially returning for Doctor Who Season 12 – but not until 2020.

Season 11 marked a brand new era for Doctor Who with showrunner Chris Chibnall replacing Steven Moffat, just as Whittaker’s Doctor also stepped into the big blue box. Joined by new companions Bradley Walsh (Graham), Mandip Gill (Yasmin) and Tosin Cole (Ryan), the result has been a decidedly new direction for the show, with an emphasis on character, particular those of the sidekicks, and a running theme of understanding, compassion and communication.

Despite some initial backlash from a minority in the show’s fanbase about the Doctor changing gender, the opening episode marked a record launch for a Doctor Who season, with a consolidated audience of 11 million making it the second biggest drama this year across all channels, one of the top 10 programmes in 2018 so far, and Doctor Who’s biggest start to a run since its return under Russell T Davies.

The episode received 3.7 million requests through BBC iPlayer and, across the first eight episodes, Season 1 has averaged a 4-screen consolidated audience of 8.4 million.

Season 11 drew to a close last night – read our review of the episode here – and a new trailer has given us a glimpse of the upcoming New Year’s Day special, but otherwise, fans are about to be in for a long wait, as the TARDIS won’t return for a new season until early 2020.

“As Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor and friends have been winning the hearts of families across the nation this autumn, we’ve been busy with a whole new set of action packed adventures for the Thirteenth Doctor,” said Chibnall in a blog post officially announcing Season 12. “We adore making this show and have been blown away by the response from audiences, so we can’t wait to bring more scares, more monsters and more Bradley Walsh, Mandip Gill and Tosin Cole to BBC One. Brilliant!”

Charlotte Moore, Director of Content added: “We’re delighted that the Doctor and her friends will be returning to thrill audiences in 2020. I know Chris and the whole team are already working on a whole new set of exciting adventures. In the meantime we’ve got a very special episode on New Year’s Day for everyone to enjoy.”

You can see the trailer for Resolution here.

 

Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor Who debut sets new series record

17th October 2018

Jodie Whittaker’s debut Doctor Who outing has set a new record for the series, enjoying its biggest launch ever since the show returned in 2005.

Barb’s new four-screen measurements, which include viewing through a TV screen as well as non-TV online devices, show that Episode 1 of Doctor Who’s 11th season received a consolidated figure of 10.9 million viewers – up from the 10.8 million recorded in 2005.

The consolidated numbers also make Doctor Who the number one drama launch of the year so far. The series opener has particularly proved a big hit with 16-34 year olds, with 1.8 million watching the first episode. It’s been a big on-demand success too: Episode 1, The Woman Who Fell to Earth, received 2 million requests through BBC iPlayer in the seven days following its broadcast.

“The Woman Who Fell To Earth provides exactly the sort of continuity-lite grounding that the show needs at this point,” we wrote in our review. “It feels like a mission statement: including new viewers and bucking the expectations of the already converted. Arriving with a marked departure in tone, we’d say the new production team and cast have time on their side for the rest of the season.”

Chris Chibnall, Showrunner, says: “On behalf of the entire Doctor Who team, a huge thank you to viewers for taking Jodie’s Doctor and her new friends into their hearts, in such huge numbers. It’s a thrill being deluged with pictures of families snuggled up together, kids (and adults) hiding behind sofas (they actually do that!), and seeing all the extraordinary creative artwork inspired by the show. The journey of the Thirteenth Doctor is only just beginning. Next stop: Alabama 1955.”

Doctor Who continues on BBC One this Sunday at 6.55pm. The first two episodes are available on BBC iPlayer. Click here to keep up with our reviews of each episode, and how long they’re available on catch-up.

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