Moffat is busy working on something, but what exactly could it be?

By Morgan Cormack

Published: Friday, 18 August 2023 at 11:12 AM


It seems as though Doctor Who fans have been doing some serious sleuthing, now determined that former Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat could very well be returning to the sci-fi series after some social media clues.

This week’s Doctor Who Magazine featured an intriguing Production Diary feature written by Scott Handcock. In it, various notes about the production process were outlined for fans, but one specific detail has caught fans’ eyes.

On Wednesday 5th July, it is outlined that there was another writer’s meeting in the morning but it took place on Zoom as “our writer’s currently on the other side of the planet”.

Similarly, on the notes for Friday 14th July, it outlines that not only was it Ncuti Gatwa‘s final day of filming his first season, but that there was “an afternoon Zoom with a writer temporarily out of the country”.

This has led fans to deduce from Instagram pictures of Moffat aboard a yacht on those dates that he very well could be working on Doctor Who after all.

In one of the pictures shared to Moffat’s Instagram, he is seen to be working, with the caption reading: “Rule One – keep your back to the view. #attheoffice.”

David Tennant in Doctor Who
David Tennant in Doctor Who.
BBC/YouTube

The theory continues to swirl on Twitter (recently rebranded as X), with fans excited at the possible prospect of Moffat returning to the world of Doctor Who.

One fan wrote on Twitter: “Moffat under RTD is usually the best Doctor Who,” while another user said the theory is a “fantastic spot”.

As for whether or not it’s just a happy coincidence that Moffat was abroad and working at the very same time as the unnamed writer in the production diary feature, it remains to be seen.

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Moffat has previously revealed that while the idea of returning to write a few Doctor Who episodes would be a wild possibility, he didn’t quite rule it out.

Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, he stated: “It would be career madness, even by my standards, to go back in a junior capacity to a show I used to run,” he said. “I’d have to be insane to do that…”

Russell T Davies is, of course, returning to helm Doctor Who once again after bringing the sci-fi back to screens in 2005. But, although Davies is returning to the Doctor Who world once more, Moffat hasn’t seemed as keen.