Whittaker\u2019s departure had been rumoured for several months, though Chibnall\u2019s future with the BBC sci-fi series was less certain \u2013 until now.<\/p>\n
Both star and showrunner will bow out following a six-part series<\/a> (set to air later in 2021), two specials (already planned for 2022), plus one final feature-length adventure for the Thirteenth Doctor which will also mark the BBC\u2019s centenary next year.<\/p>\n In a statement, Chibnall said: \u201cJodie and I made a \u2018three series and out\u2019 pact with each other at the start of this once-in-a-lifetime blast. So now our shift is done, and we\u2019re handing back the TARDIS keys.<\/p>\n \u201cJodie\u2019s magnificent, iconic Doctor has exceeded all our high expectations. She\u2019s 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\u2019t imagine working with a more inspiring Doctor \u2013 so I\u2019m not going to!<\/p> \u201cFor me, leading this exceptional team has been unrivalled creative fun, and one of the great joys of my career. I\u2019m so proud of the people we\u2019ve worked with and the stories we\u2019ve 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\u2019s great that the climax of the Thirteenth Doctor\u2019s story will be at the heart(s) of the BBC\u2019s centenary celebrations.<\/p>\n \u201cI wish our successors \u2013 whoever the BBC and BBC Studios choose \u2013 as much fun as we\u2019ve had. They\u2019re in for a treat!\u201d<\/p>\n Whittaker, who was cast as the first female incarnation of the Doctor in 2017, said: \u201cIn 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. 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.<\/p>\n \u201cWe 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\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever be able to express what this role has given me. I will carry the Doctor and the lessons I\u2019ve learnt forever.<\/p>\n \u201cI know change can be scary and none of us know what\u2019s out there. That\u2019s why we keep looking. Travel Hopefully. The Universe will surprise you. Constantly.\u201d<\/p>\n Piers Wenger, Director of BBC Drama, paid tribute to both Chibnall and Whittaker, saying the pair have \u201cmade Doctor Who history\u201d with their time on the show \u201cindelibly marked on our memories.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFrom Rosa Parks to Ascension of the Cybermen<\/a>, Chris and Jodie have given Doctor Who some of its most life-affirming and tear-jerking moments to date and we are beyond excited to see what they have in store for us in the new series this Autumn. Jodie\u2019s final adventure to mark the BBC\u2019s Centenary in 2022 is set to be a Doctor Who Special to remember.\u00a0I\u2019d like to thank them both for their incredible work on the show.\u201d<\/p>\n Whittaker and Chibnall\u2019s first episode, The Woman Who Fell to Earth<\/a>, aired in October 2018. For her first two series, the Thirteenth Doctor was accompanied by companions Yaz (Mandip Gill), Graham (Bradley Walsh) and Ryan (Tosin Cole). Walsh and Cole departed the series in 2021\u2019s New Year\u2019s Day special Revolution of the Daleks<\/a>, with comedian and actor John Bishop set to join Whittaker and Gill for the upcoming series 13 as new companion Dan Lewis.<\/p>\n Chibnall\u2019s era on the show is also notable for having introduced a new incarnation of the Master (played by Sacha Dhawan) and the enigmatic Fugitive Doctor (Jo Martin), and for radically reinventing the Doctor\u2019s origins in 2020 episode The Timeless Children.<\/p>\n Whittaker was voted the show\u2019s second most popular Doctor of all time<\/a> in a 2020 RadioTimes.com<\/a> poll, coming second to David Tennant\u2019s Tenth Doctor. Doctor Who was also voted Best Science Fiction Show of 2020 by Radio Times.com<\/strong> readers, beating out competition from The Mandalorian<\/a>, Lucifer<\/a> and The Boys<\/a>.<\/p>\n Read more: <\/strong>BBC confirms announcement of \u201cthe new generation of Doctor Who\u201d is coming soon<\/a><\/p>\n Doctor Who will return to BBC One later in 2021 \u2013 visit our Sci-fi<\/a> hub for more news and features or find something to watch with our TV Guide<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n “Jodie and I made a ‘three series and out’ pact with each other at the start of this once-in-a-lifetime blast.” <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":2401,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/07\/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-confirmed-to-leave-doctor-who-in-2022.jpg",746,497,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/07\/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-confirmed-to-leave-doctor-who-in-2022-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/07\/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-confirmed-to-leave-doctor-who-in-2022-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/07\/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-confirmed-to-leave-doctor-who-in-2022.jpg",746,497,false],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/07\/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-confirmed-to-leave-doctor-who-in-2022.jpg",746,497,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/07\/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-confirmed-to-leave-doctor-who-in-2022.jpg",746,497,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/07\/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-confirmed-to-leave-doctor-who-in-2022.jpg",746,497,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"\"Jodie and I made a 'three series and out' pact with each other at the start of this once-in-a-lifetime blast.\"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/2400"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2401"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2400"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2400"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\""Doctor\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/07\/New-Tardis-team-fda3c6d.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"New\\"")
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