While we still have a couple more episodes left of Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor Who tenure, many fans are already looking ahead to the next era, with ex-series boss Russell T Davies taking over the show once more to cast a new Doctor for its 60th anniversary.
And now in some small way, it seems like that new dawn may have already begun. You see, in a new Instagram post Davies has shared a photo of himself at Wolf Studios Wales, the new production home of Doctor Who for his upcoming run on the BBC sci-fi series. Cue fan excitement, theorising, and speculation about whether the next Doctor will be in the building this very week.
!["Doctor]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/03/Russell-T-Davies-Bad-Wolf-Insta-f104740.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Russell")
Of course, we shouldn’t get too carried away. For now, it’s unclear whether this is just an early meeting with the Bad Wolf team (which is run by his old Who collaborators Julie Gardner and Jane Tranter) or a more tangible part of production, and it could be some time before filming properly begins on any new episodes.
Still, given that rumours have suggested filming on the 60th special/s may begin this spring, it certainly seems possible that Davies is in Cardiff for some more in-depth work ahead of filming in a matter of weeks. A comment from Doctor Who’s official Instagram account also hints that this may be a significant visit, so perhaps we’ll be seeing some more official announcements in due course.
Though perhaps it doesn’t matter that much either way. Even if it is just a quick visit, it’s a signal to Whovians everywhere that the next age of modern Doctor Who is beginning – and according to the departing production team, we’ll be in for a treat when it finally unfolds.
“Knowing Russell – who is a genius, it’s a well-worn word, but he is – he’s going to do something that we can’t predict,” departing Who producer Matt Strevens said in a new interview with Doctor Who Magazine.
“I’ve been friends with Russell since I was blessed to work with him on [the 2015 Channel 4 drama] Cucumber, and I remember him saying to me, ‘Doctor Who is a full-on show, but enjoy it – enjoy the ride.’ Obviously he enjoyed the ride so much, he’s bought another ticket. He’s bought the theme park, so he can go on all the rides!
“I think that’s brilliant. And Bad Wolf – wow, what a success story. All power to them. What’s lovely for me is that we hand it on. As Doctor Who executive producer, that’s all you want, to be able to say: ‘There you go.’”
Get ready, Whovians – it begins…
Doctor Who: Legend of the Sea Devils comes to BBC One this spring. For more, check out our dedicated Sci-Fi page or our full TV Guide.
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