Doctor Who Day

"The monsters and the Doctor. It seems you cannot have one without the other." Happy Doctor Who Day! The beloved BBC sci-fi series celebrates its 58th anniversary! What would the First Doctor, William Hartnell, make of that?

My earliest memory of watching Doctor Who is The Sontaran Experiment! Aged 2, seeing Styre melt (before my young eyes) marked a nightmarish childhood encounter with the body horror genre and ignited a lifelong love of adventures in space and time. Also, a brief addiction to Jelly Babies as popularised by the Fourth Doctor, my Doctor, Tom Baker.

As my tweet published in Doctor Who Magazine (DWM) issue 557 suggested. Watching Doctor Who at Saturday teatime soon became a family tradition (as long as I was able to watch with dad!). That said, I was once left alone to watch Genesis of the Daleks! All the while, hiding behind the sofa, terrified the Daleks would fall out the back of the television and into our living room...

Last Sunday's Village of the Angels was a gothic callback to those treasured formative Whovian years.



The BBC has announced details regarding the New Year's Day special:

"The Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and friends will kick-start 2022 with an action-packed spectacular episode set to air on BBC One on New Year’s Day. The festive special will feature guest stars Aisling Bea (This Way Up, Living With Yourself, Quiz), Adjani Salmon (Dreaming Whilst Black, Enterprice) and Pauline McLynn (Father Ted, Shameless).

Sarah (Aisling Bea) owns and runs ELF storage, and Nick (Adjani Salmon) is a customer who visits his unit every year on New Year’s Eve. This year, however, their night turns out to be a little different than planned…

The festive episode is the first of three Doctor Who Specials airing in 2022. The second Special airs in Spring and Jodie’s final feature-length Special (in where the Thirteenth Doctor will regenerate), will transmit in autumn 2022 as part of the BBC’s Centenary celebrations."

The BBC has also announced Doctor Who: The Abominable Snowmen (affiliate link). The classic Second Doctor serial has been fully-animated. The story stars Patrick Troughton, Jack Watling, Frazer Hines and Deborah Watling and features the Doctor's first encounter with the Yeti and the Great Intelligence.

Doctor Who: Flux continues Sunday's on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC America and AMC+. Stay tuned for Nick Smith's, our US-based Whovian, series 13 review soon.

How are you celebrating Doctor Who Day? What are your earliest memories of adventures aboard the TARDIS? Let me know in the comments below.

Game of Thrones prequel first look

HBO has released an official first look at its upcoming Game of Thrones prequel series based on author George R.R. Martin’s Fire and Blood.

House of the Dragon.

The spin-off series is set 300 years before Game of Thrones and will centre on Daenerys Targaryen's (Emilia Clarke) ancestors' civil war. Bloodmoon, a prequel series set thousands of years before, starring Naomi Watts and written by Jane Goldman (X-Men: First Class), was shelved following an abortive pilot in 2019.

House of the Dragon began filming in Cornwall in April, as reported by BBC Spotlight and ITV News West Country, for release sometime in 2022.

HBO was forced to officially confirm the multimillion-dollar series was in production when leaked images shot on location in and around St Michael's Mount, which is a favourite holiday haunt of my family, were shared on social media.

Photos showed Matt Smith (Doctor Who) and Emma D'Arcy as Prince Daemon Targaryen and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen respectively. Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans and Steve Toussaint co-star.

The official press release description for Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen reads: “The king’s first-born child, she is of pure Valyrian blood, and she is a dragonrider. Many would say that Rhaenyra was born with everything… but she was not born a man.” And Prince Daemon Targaryen’s reads: “The younger brother to King Viserys and heir to the throne. A peerless warrior and a dragonrider, Daemon possesses the true blood of the dragon. But it is said that whenever a Targaryen is born, the gods toss a coin in the air…”

Game of Thrones ran for eight seasons and ended controversially for some fans. However, aside from a few minor reservations, I really enjoyed the fantasy series and am eager to return to Westeros.

House of the Dragon is the first of several spin-offs based on the Game of Thrones franchise and is expected to premiere on HBO Max and presumably Sky Atlantic in 2022.

Are you looking forward to House of the Dragon? Let me know in the comments below.

Doctor Who Lockdown brings Christmas cheer

During the first lockdown in March, Doctor Who Magazine's (DWM) Emily Cook galvanised Whovians (myself included) with Doctor Who Lockdown on Twitter.

What initially started as a few tweets quickly gathered momentum worldwide and brought the fandom together in celebration of the beloved BBC sci-fi series during a time of self-isolation due to the coronavirus pandemic.

With a second national lockdown until 2nd December, Doctor Who Lockdown is back beginning with The Husbands of River Song, starring Peter Capaldi (Doctor Who) and Alex Kingston (River Song), today at 7:00PM.

The Christmas special is notable for the first appearance of Nardole (Matt Lucas) who would go on to form part of a most memorable Team TARDIS in series 10. So much so, I was inspired to write into DWM and humbled when my email was printed in its hallowed pages - one for the bucket list.

With the holiday season upon us. Cook is looking to record another Doctor Who Singalong! This time Abigail's Song (Silence Is All You Know) from A Christmas Carol. Katherine Jenkins played Abigail Pettigrew, opposite Matt Smith as Doctor Who and Sir Michael Gambon as Kazran, and performed the haunting carol in the episode. A few years ago, I was thrilled when Ms Jenkins responded to my tweet congratulating her on her guest appearance. I wasn't alone in my admiration.



At a time of shared trauma and uncertainty, Doctor Who Lockdown is a unifying force to be celebrated.

Will you be watching The Husbands of River Song? Let me know in the comments below.

Cult classics on BritBox

With autumn fast approaching in the northern hemisphere, BritBox, a joint venture between the BBC and commercial broadcaster ITV, has added a collection of cult sci-fi and fantasy series to lure geeks (myself included) to the streaming service since my initial review earlier this year.

Thunderbirds, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, The Prisoner, Sapphire & Steel, Star Cops and Space: 1999 are among the highlights along with every available episode of classic Doctor Who - the reason I resubscribed during lockdown. All the cult series Nick Smith, our resident US-based stellar scribe, and me watched at the Vintage Video club where we first met as undergraduates at Bournemouth University.

Whereas Star Cops has dated horribly, Space: 1999 has never looked better and I was instantly transported back to the late seventies when I watched reruns, on ITV, as my Dinky Toys Eagle battled Kenner die-cast TIE Fighters and a Star Destroyer alongside the Millennium Falcon and Luke Skywalker's X-wing.

Dragon's Domain, with guest star Michael Sheard who appeared in classic Doctor Who serial Pyramids of Mars and played the ill-fated Admiral Ozzel in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, was the stuff of childhood nightmares and is a pre-Alien haunted house in space (Alien reused sound effects from Space: 1999).

Sapphire & Steel, played by Joanna Lumley and David McCallum respectively, remains a creepy, claustrophobic paranormal thriller following the enigmatic titular time travellers as they investigate anomalies. Inspiring the overarching 'cracks in time' plot for Matt Smith's Doctor Who decades later.

The Box of Delights, starring Patrick Troughton (Doctor Who), is now streaming too, but I'd suggest waiting until November to savour that festive timey-wimey tale. Hopefully, many more series will be added to BritBox's burgeoning cult collection including The Children of Green Knowe, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Day of the Triffids, The Tomorrow People, Chocky and Blake's 7.

These cult series will be discovered by a new generation of fans. However, as John Rivers points out in comments, BritBox needs to expand the availability of its app. This is 2020.

Doctor Who immersive experience coming to London

Today would have been my late mum's 79th birthday and the mood has been bittersweet. However, Classic FM, one of mum's favourite radio stations, played Adventures on Earth (From E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial) in a moment of perfect synchronicity. Yes, it opened the emotional flood gates, but in the best way possible. My mood was further buoyed by the following timey-wimey news concerning our favourite Time Lord.

An immersive Doctor Who experience from the team behind long-running immersive show The Great Gatsby, delayed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, has been confirmed to premiere in London in February 2021. Featuring Daleks, Cybermen and Time Lords, the unique story arc will have a tie-in with the multimedia event Time Lord Victorious.

The official plot synopsis for the event reads, “1940 – it’s the height of the Blitz. A weapon of unknown origin destroys a small corner of Mayfair, and simultaneously opens up a rift in space and time.

“For decades, UNIT has fought to protect the people of Earth from the dangers it poses, but they’ve been beaten back as the fracture multiplies out of control.

“Earth as we know it is at stake – now is the time for you to step up and be the hero. Travelling to impossible places, confronting menacing monsters and ancient aliens along the way, it’s a journey across space and time to save our race, and our beautiful planet.”

Doctor Who: Time Fracture is directed by Tom Maller and written by Daniel Dingsdale.

Dingsdale said: "Drawing from the rich legacy of Doctor Who, which spans over half a century, we are creating an adventure that will entertain both fans that have immersed themselves in the show’s universe for years, and audience members who will walk in from the street having never seen an episode. It’s going to be an absolute blast."

Louis Hartshorn, joint chief executive of Immersive Everywhere, said: "We are delighted to be partnering with BBC Studios to bring the incredible universe of Doctor Who to life in a way that only immersive theatre can.

"We can’t wait for audiences to step into the world of The Doctor, and find themselves closer to the action than ever before, in this expansive and ambitious new show.

"Based on everything we know now, we are confident that Doctor Who: Time Fracture will be able to go ahead as planned in early 2021 and will be taking all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of our audiences and full creative team."



Doctor Who: Time Fracture will hopefully be as inclusive as the wonderful Doctor Who Experience, which I visited with friends, at London's Olympia, in 2011. Tickets go on general sale from Thursday 20th August and are expected to be in high demand. An Early Bird UNIT bundle is available for £20 and includes an exclusive Operation Time Fracture premium cotton t-shirt, a lapel pin badge and an A2 poster print featuring production artwork.

Three Doctors unite on HBO Max

Every season of Doctor Who since 2005 is now available exclusively on HBO Max. To celebrate, 3 Doctors, played by David Tennant, Matt Smith and Jodie Whittaker, are reunited on Zoom with IGN's Terri Schwartz moderating the online panel.



“‘Doctor Who’ is one of television’s all-time, most beloved series, on both sides of the pond, and we are happy to be the exclusive streaming stewards for this BBC gem,” said Kevin Reilly, chief content officer at HBO Max and president of TNT, TBS, and truTV. “Another series to further define the high-quality content experience consumers can expect from HBO Max.”

Are you excited Doctor Who is on HBO Max? Let me know in the comments below.

Former Doctor Who Matt Smith in Star Wars?

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is released in cinemas exactly two months today and fellow Doctor Who fans may have uncovered the role former Doctor Who Matt Smith plays in director JJ Abrams' (The Force Awakens) upcoming sequel.

Eagle-eyed fan @reysrepublic spotted a Topps trading card and shared the above photo of what appears to be Smith playing a blue-skinned alien with the cryptic title: A New Face.

Both of Smith's former TARDIS companions, Karen Gillan and Jenna Coleman, have appeared in Disney stablemate the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

In related news. The final trailer for The Rise of Skywalker premieres during Monday Night Football.

What do you think? Is this Matt Smith? Let me know in the comments below.

Richard E. Grant teases his role in Star Wars

Since Richard E. Grant was cast in Star Wars: Episode IX, fans have speculated he may be playing Grand Admiral Thrawn in director JJ Abrams' conclusion to the Skywalker saga this December. However, the Oscar-nominated actor quickly dispelled that rumour.

“I’m not playing the Star Wars character you just mentioned,” Grant previously shared with the Radio Times. “I’m not allowed to tell you anything. Otherwise I would be fired."

Despite the need for secrecy surrounding Episode IX, Grant assures fellow fans (myself included) it'll be more than worth it and I agree.

“Oh, it’s definitely worth it,” the actor shared. “If you’re a Star Wars fan, and I am, then knowing what’s coming in this is quite something. I absolutely understand why they’re so secretive about it, because it’s very exciting.”

Grant spoke of the security surrounding the script for Episode IX earlier this month.

“Yes, I am in the last Star Wars. I have no idea [if I’ll be recognizable] because I’ve not even been allowed to tell my family what the name of my character is," Grant shared with The Graham Norton Show. “If I told you I would get fired. We’re not even allowed to take the script home. There is a lot of security.”

Grant is fondly remembered by Doctor Who fans (myself included) as the corporeal form of the Great Intelligence. A disembodied alien, originally controlling the Yeti during Patrick Troughton's era, that sought to erase the Doctor, from all of time, during Matt Smith's tenure as the titular character. Star Wars reunites the actors with Smith purportedly playing a young Palpatine in a flashback.

Whilst we wait for an official title and teaser trailer for Star Wars: Episode IX. Who do you think Richard E. Grant is playing? A First Order Officer or a droid? Let me know in the comments below.

Doctor Who Christmas special moves to New Year's Day

Following weeks of speculation, the BBC has officially announced this year's festive edition of Doctor Who, starring Jodie Whittaker as the titular Time Lord, will be shown on New Year's Day.

The Christmas Day special has become a holiday staple since 2005 when David Tennant took over from Christopher Eccleston. The specials have been a mixed assortment of festive treats, but standouts include The Next Doctor, A Christmas Carol guest starring Sir Michael Gambon and Katherine Jenkins, The Snowmen and Last Christmas.

"We're thrilled to be starting the New Year with a bang on BBC One," said showrunner Chris Chibnall, who promised audiences "an action-packed, hour-long special adventure for all the family."

Charlotte Moore, the BBC's director of content, said: "We're delighted the Doctor and her companions will be welcoming BBC One audiences into 2019 with this exciting new episode."

The official synopsis for the New Year's Day special has been released:

“As the New Year begins, a terrifying evil is stirring from across the centuries of Earth’s history. As the Doctor, Ryan, Graham and Yaz return home, will they be able to overcome the threat to planet Earth?”

Will you miss Doctor Who on Christmas Day? Let me know in the comments below.

Jodie Whittaker's Doctor Who isn't afraid of the dark

Jodie Whittaker's first full episode as the titular Time Lord, Doctor Who, saw the BBC show's highest ratings in 12 years, with a peak of 8.52 million viewers, and rave reviews from critics and fans. Such was my unbridled enthusiasm, I took to social media the moment the episode ended:

"Well, Jodie and cohorts smashed it! Life-affirming, not afraid of the dark and great to see a companion with a disability, which resonated."

The Woman Who Fell to Earth fell (pun intended) just short of Matt Smith's The Eleventh Hour as the best new era intro of the current run. The villain was more DCTV and I kept waiting for The CW's Supergirl to sweep in and save the day. That said, there were times when Whittaker's eclipsed everything before it and paid homage to a profoundly poignant scene from Patrick Troughton's classic serial The Tomb of the Cybermen in the wake of a death. Showrunner Chris Chibnall has revitalised the series, but not at the expense of its 55-year heritage.

Taking the Short View's Andrew Lewin takes a look at The Woman Who Fell to Earth. There are very mild spoilers, so consider yourself forewarned.

What did you think of Ms Whittaker as Doctor Who? Let me know in the comments below.

Doctor Who's Matt Smith joins Star Wars: Episode IX

The Eleventh Doctor is travelling back to a long time ago in Star Wars: Episode IX!

Matt Smith, best known for his roles in Doctor Who and The Crown, is reportedly playing a key role in the upcoming JJ Abrams-directed Star Wars sequel currently being filmed in London.

Smith's not the first Doctor Who to appear in Star Wars. Tom Baker and David Tennant have appeared in Star Wars Rebels and The Clone Wars respectively.

Smith will join fellow Doctor Who co-star Richard E. Grant, Dominic Monaghan and Keri Russell, and returning cast members Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac and John Boyega.

As a lifelong fan of both franchises, I can't wait. Do you think Matt Smith will be a First Order officer or Rey's father? Let me know in the comments below.

Star Wars: Episode IX will be in cinemas December 2019.

James Cameron's back for Terminator 6

Director James Cameron will be producing the upcoming Terminator 6 with Tim Miller at the helm, which will ignore all sequels following Cameron's own Terminator 2: Judgment Day and reboot the ailing sci-fi franchise, again.

"This is a continuation of the story from Terminator 1 and Terminator 2. And we’re pretending the other films were a bad dream. Or an alternate timeline, which is permissible in our multi-verse. This was really driven more by [Tim] than anybody, surprisingly, because I came in pretty agnostic about where we took it. The only thing I insisted on was that we somehow revamp it and reinvent it for the 21st century." he explained.

You know, I quite enjoyed Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and Terminator Genisys with Matt Smith (Doctor Who) as the physical embodiment of Skynet, which Cameron had previously championed in the movie's marketing upon release in 2015, and the short-lived Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles television series starring Lena Headey (Game of Thrones) in the titular role.

Terminator will be in cinemas November 2019 with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton reprising their iconic roles.

Build Light Cycles with LEGO Ideas TRON: Legacy

LEGO Ideas has unveiled an official Disney TRON: Legacy Light Cycle set including 3 minifigs featuring Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), Rinzler (Anis Cheurfa) and Quorra (Olivia Wilde), complete with identity discs. It's as awesome as fans would hope.



The playset began life as a LEGO Ideas submission from the fine folks at BrickBros UK and the finished set captures the look and feel of the original movie in brick form. The Quorra minifig is especially cool. Deservedly, Drew and Tom got to review their upcoming set early courtesy of LEGO.



The last LEGO Ideas set I bought was Doctor Who featuring the Eleventh (Matt Smith) and Twelfth (Peter Capaldi) Doctors and Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) in 2015. So, this will be an excellent addition to my desktop.

LEGO Ideas 21314 TRON: Legacy will be sold exclusively at LEGO stores and online (affiliate link) for £29.99 from 31st March.

Murray Gold confirms Doctor Who departure

During Gallifrey One, the world's largest and longest-running Doctor Who fan convention, composer Murray Gold confirmed he's no longer working on the series. There has been speculation surrounding Gold's departure since Chris Chibnall was announced as the new series showrunner.

Gold has worked on Doctor Who since the series returned to television screens in 2005 with then showrunner Russell T Davies. He went on to compose music for 10 series with actors Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi in the titular role. From Rose to Clara's theme, he's produced an impressive body of work. There is no news regarding his replacement.

Doctor Who returns to television screens this autumn with Jodie Whittaker as the first female Doctor Who. The actress and co-stars, Mandip Gill (Yasmin), Tosin Cole (Ryan) and Bradley Walsh (Graham), were recently seen filming in Sheffield.

Bill is back in Doctor Who this Christmas

Pearl Mackie, who plays Bill Potts, returns to Doctor Who for Twice Upon A Time. The fan-favourite companion was last seen saving the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) in The Doctor Falls. She'll join two Doctors as David Bradley is the new First Doctor.

The BBC has released a new promotional photo and an official synopsis for Peter Capaldi's regeneration story, which witnesses Jodie Whittaker taking over as the first female Doctor.

"The magical final chapter of the Twelfth Doctor’s (Peter Capaldi) journey sees the Time Lord team up with his former self, the first ever Doctor (David Bradley - Harry Potter, Game of Thrones) and a returning Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie), for one last adventure.

Two Doctors stranded in an Arctic snowscape, refusing to face regeneration. Enchanted glass people, stealing their victims from frozen time. And a World War One captain destined to die on the battlefield, but taken from the trenches to play his part in the Doctor's story.

An uplifting new tale about the power of hope in humanity’s darkest hours, Twice Upon A Time marks the end of an era. But as the Doctor must face his past to decide his future, his journey is only just beginning..."

Rumours persist Matt Smith and Jenna Coleman will return in Steven Moffat's swansong as series showrunner.

Doctor Who: Twice Upon A Time is broadcast on Christmas Day on BBC One. International fans please check local listings.

Tom Baker back as Doctor Who in Shada

Tom Baker has reprised his iconic role as the Fourth Doctor in the upcoming Shada this December.

Shada, written by the late Douglas Adams, is an unfinished story, due to strike action, from 1979. Whilst the serial has been released in a variety of formats previously. This is the most comprehensive reconstruction to date.

“When I was doing Doctor Who it was the realisation of all my childhood fantasies… so I took to it like a duck to water and I still do,” Baker said of his return to the role onscreen.

“Doctor Who was more important than life to me – I used to dread the end of rehearsal… that’s why I can’t stay away from it.

“Shada was one of my favourite Doctor Who stories. I have many fond memories of shooting the location scenes in Cambridge, and it was disappointing not to finish the story in studio. I’m so glad that BBC Worldwide have found a way to bring fans a complete visual version.”

Baker was last seen onscreen as the Curator in Day of the Doctor, the 50th anniversary special, alongside Matt Smith and David Tennant. His audio adventures continue with Big Finish and he's also starring in that other sci-fi franchise so beloved by fans (myself included). Star Wars.



My earliest memory of watching Doctor Who is The Sontaran Experiment and the Fourth Doctor is my favourite incarnation of the beloved time traveller. So, seeing Baker back is extra special at a time of renewal for the long-running BBC sci-fi series. Jodie Whittaker becomes the first female Doctor during Peter Capaldi's regeneration story this Christmas.

Shada is available to pre-order on DVD and Blu-ray disc and is released on 4th December. Or download the serial from iTunes today.

Jodie Whittaker is the Thirteenth Doctor Who

Finally, after months of speculation the next actor to play the titular Time Lord Doctor Who has been announced in a very cool, and enigmatic, fashion.



Jodie Whittaker (Broadchurch) will take the helm of the TARDIS from current incumbent Peter Capaldi this Christmas as showrunner Stephen Moffat makes way for Chris Chibnall, creator of Broadchurch.

A time lady, you say? Well, my earliest memory of a possible female Doctor Who dates back to Tom Baker's swansong season and, ever since, I've expected either a male or female actor in the role. Most recently when Matt Smith announced he was leaving during the 50th anniversary season and fans speculated Olivia Colman was taking over. Ultimately, Capaldi was revealed as the next Doctor during a BBC special hosted by Zoe Ball.

Aside from the announcement of the Thirteenth Doctor. Loved the soundtrack callback to the 1980s and hope this is a teaser for things to come (the cancellation of Doctor Who during Sylvester McCoy's era notwithstanding).

Whittaker is an accomplished actress and I'm excited to see Doctor Who, my favourite series, continue to embrace its central conceit of change. VWORP! VWORP!

Jenna Coleman returns to Doctor Who this Christmas

Series 10 of Doctor Who ended last Saturday with, arguably, the best season finale in years. The Doctor Falls is an emotional escapade, directed with cinematic flair by Rachel Talalay, witnessing peak Team TARDIS and culminating in a mythological encounter between the Twelfth and First Doctors. A cliffhanger ending comparable to Star Wars: The Force Awakens for this lifelong fan of both franchises.

David Bradley (Harry Potter) played William Hartnell to critical acclaim in 50th anniversary drama documentary An Adventure in Space and Time. This time (pun intended) Bradley is the First Doctor in the upcoming Christmas special seemingly set in the South Pole during the first Cyberman invasion serial The Tenth Planet. A story best remembered for William Hartnell's regeneration into Patrick Troughton. Very, very meta.

Last May I reported there was a rumour suggesting Jenna Coleman (Clara Oswald) was returning to Doctor Who for Peter Capaldi's departure this Christmas. A source has now told the Mirror: “Jenna Coleman has agreed to film something new as Clara.

“It’s become a tradition now for the companions to reappear as the Doctor regenerates and Jenna isn’t letting the side down.

“It’ll help to give Peter the send-off he deserves after three years.”

As already stated, this isn't the first time a companion has returned for a regeneration story. Karen Gillan reprised the role of Amy Pond in Matt Smith's swansong The Time of the Doctor. It's worth noting Clara appeared alongside companions and foes in a callback to Tom Baker's last story. Logopolis. Presumably, the Doctor's memory block has been lifted?

So, the Impossible Girl may return for a festive farewell. In the meantime, I'd like to wish my American readers a happy Fourth of July.

Is Jenna Coleman returning to Doctor Who?

Jenna Coleman is rumoured to be returning to Doctor Who for this year's Christmas special.

The rumour originates from a story suggesting Eddie's Diner has been booked for filming this July. The iconic location was used in The Impossible Astronaut and as Clara and Me's TARDIS in Hell Bent: the series 9 finale in which Clara wiped the Doctor's memory of her.

Peter Capaldi is leaving at the end of this year, along with showrunner Steven Moffat, and it wouldn't be the first time a former companion returned for a regeneration story. Karen Gillan reprised the role of Amy Pond when Matt Smith bowed out in The Time of the Doctor. It's worth noting Clara's theme can be heard during the current series premiere as possible foreshadowing.

Series 10, currently airing on BBC One on Saturday evenings, is proving to be a hit with fans. So much so, I was inspired to email the official Doctor Who Magazine and was delighted to see my thoughts on the season premiere, The Pilot, reprinted in the current issue.

A post shared by John Hood (@johnhood) on May 4, 2017 at 7:21am PDT

Andrew Lewin, fellow Whovian and blogging co-conspirator, is reviewing the current series on Taking the Short View. Hopefully, this won't dissuade him from our obligatory post-series discussion later in the year.

Coleman is filming the second series of Victoria for ITV.

Would you like to see Clara return in the Christmas special? Let me know in the comments below.

Peter Capaldi to leave Doctor Who this Christmas

Peter Capaldi announced he's leaving Doctor Who, after taking over from Matt Smith in 2013, during the Jo Whiley show on BBC Radio 2 last evening. He said:

"One of the greatest privileges of being Doctor Who is to see the world at its best. From our brilliant crew and creative team working for the best broadcaster on the planet, to the viewers and fans whose endless creativity, generosity and inclusiveness points to a brighter future ahead. I can’t thank everyone enough. It’s been cosmic."

Whilst Capaldi's incarnation has been divisive amongst fans, I've enjoyed his portrayal. You can read my series 8 and series 9 discussions with fellow Whovian Andrew Lewin.

Series 10 starts 15th April and Capaldi will exit during the Christmas special, which also sees showrunner Steven Moffat passing the baton to, the creator of Broadchurch, Chris Chibnall.

Are you sad Peter Capaldi is leaving and who would be a good replacement? Let me know in the comments below.