‘Doctor Who’: BBC Confirms Jodie Whittaker & Chris Chibnall Will Leave In 2022
There have been rumours for months, but the BBC has finally confirmed both star Jodie Whittaker and showrunner Chris Chibnall will leave ‘Doctor Who‘ in 2022.
Whittaker entered the TARDIS as the Thirteenth Doctor in 2017, with Chibnall also taking over as showrunner. They will end their run with a six-part “Event Serial” to air in Autumn 2021, along with two specials in 2022, and an additional final feature-length adventure for the Thirteenth Doctor, to form a trio of specials for 2022, before the Doctor regenerates once more.
“In 2017 I opened my glorious gift box of size 13 shoes. I could not have guessed the brilliant adventures, worlds and wonders I was to see in them,” commented Whittaker. “My heart is so full of love for this show, for the team who make it, for the fans who watch it and for what it has brought to my life. And I cannot thank Chris enough for entrusting me with his incredible stories. We knew that we wanted to ride this wave side by side, and pass on the baton together. So here we are, weeks away from wrapping on the best job I have ever had. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to express what this role has given me. I will carry the Doctor and the lessons I’ve learnt forever. I know change can be scary and none of us know what’s out there. That’s why we keep looking. Travel Hopefully. The Universe will surprise you. Constantly.”
Chibnall made the groundbreaking decision to cast Jodie Whittaker as the first female Doctor on the series. As tends to happen with fans, they ran through the usual ‘Who’ regeneration loop of “I don’t like this new Doctor” to “they’re okay” to “this person is brilliant”, with Whittaker eventually being voted Second Most Popular Doctor of all time, coming within a whisker of her friend David Tennant, in a poll of more than 50,000 fans for Radio Times.
“Jodie and I made a ‘three series and out’ pact with each other at the start of this once-in-a-lifetime blast. So now our shift is done, and we’re handing back the TARDIS keys,” commented Chibnall. “Jodie’s magnificent, iconic Doctor has exceeded all our high expectations. She’s been the gold standard leading actor, shouldering the responsibility of being the first female Doctor with style, strength, warmth, generosity and humour. She captured the public imagination and continues to inspire adoration around the world, as well as from everyone on the production. I can’t imagine working with a more inspiring Doctor – so I’m not going to! For me, leading this exceptional team has been unrivalled creative fun, and one of the great joys of my career. I’m so proud of the people we’ve worked with and the stories we’ve told. To finish our time on the show with an additional Special, after the pandemic changed and challenged our production plans, is a lovely bonus. It’s great that the climax of the Thirteenth Doctor’s story will be at the heart(s) of the BBC’s centenary celebrations. I wish our successors – whoever the BBC and BBC Studios choose – as much fun as we’ve had. They’re in for a treat!”
The 2020 series won Best Science Fiction Show voted for by readers at Radio Times.com, beating out competition from The Mandalorian, Lucifer and The Boys, as well as winning both Best Moment and Most Incredible Twist from the Digital Spy Reader Awards 2020, for Fugitive Of The Judoon and Ascension Of The Cybermen. In 2019, the entire current cast and crew were awarded Honorary Doctorates by Sheffield Hallam University for their work on the show.
Across Chibnall and Whittaker’s time on the show, a Who’s Who of stars from stage and screen have guest-starred, including Alan Cumming, Goran Visnjic, Charlotte Ritchie, Dame Harriet Walter, Mark Addy, Sir Lenny Henry, Phyllis Logan, Stephen Fry, Nikesh Patel, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Siobhan Finneran, Shobna Gulati, and Chris Noth.
‘Doctor Who‘ returns for Season 13 in Autumn 2021 on BBC One. It will be followed by three specials the first of which will transmit on New Year’s Day 2022, with another later in Spring 2022. Jodie’s final feature-length special, where the Thirteenth Doctor will regenerate, will transmit in Autumn 2022 as part of the BBC’s Centenary celebrations.
