Doctor Who (series 14)

In May 2017, it was announced that due to the terms of a deal between BBC Worldwide and SMG Pictures in China, the company has first right of refusal on the purchase for the Chinese market of future series of the programme until and including Series 15.[20][21] In October 2019, a deal was made between HBO Max and BBC for an additional two series of Doctor Who, including the thirteenth and fourteenth series.[22]

On 29 July 2021, the BBC announced that Chris Chibnall, who served as executive producer and showrunner of the series for the Thirteenth Doctor, would depart the series after a run of specials in 2022.[23][24] In the BBC press release, Chibnall is quoted as saying: "I wish our successors - whoever the BBC and BBC Studios choose - as much fun as we've had. They're in for a treat!"[25] The new series was first teased by Piers Wenger on 25 August 2021, when he said an upcoming change for Doctor Who would be "radical".[26]

On 24 September 2021, the BBC announced Russell T Davies would return to Doctor Who as showrunner, after having previously acted as showrunner from 2005–2010 for the Ninth and Tenth Doctor. He will succeed Chibnall for the show's 60th anniversary in 2023 and beyond.[27] Davies will be joined by the Bad Wolf production company, which was founded by fellow former Doctor Who executive producer Julie Gardner and former BBC head of drama Jane Tranter.[28] In October 2021, it was announced that Sony would acquire a majority of Bad Wolf.[29][30] Bad Wolf also took over creative control of Doctor Who beginning with the series allowing the BBC to focus on establishing Doctor Who as a global brand.[31]

Phil Collinson returned to the show as producer, having previously produced episodes from 2005–2008.[32] By January 2022, according to the CV of block producer Vicki Delow, it stated that series 14 was "currently in production";[33] Davies confirmed by March 2022 that production had begun at Bad Wolf Studios in Cardiff.[34] William Oswald is also editing for the new series, having last edited for Doctor Who in "Twice Upon a Time" (2017).[35]

Steven Moffat, who served as a writer on the series from 2005–2017 and showrunner from 2010–2017 for the Eleventh and Twelfth Doctor, commented in December 2021 that he had talked with Davies about his plans for the series.[36] In December 2021, Davies confirmed that he had already written some episodes,[37] and in November 2022, he was quoted in Doctor Who Magazine as having written a further special episode outside of the 60th anniversary specials.[2][38] In December 2022, Davies further stated in Doctor Who Magazine that the series would consist of eight episodes, to be followed by a further festive special.[39] On 12 February 2023, Davies was quoted on the Michael Ball show on BBC Radio 2 stating that the fourth episode was "one of the greatest things I've ever made in my life".[40][41] On 24 October 2023, Kate Herron and Briony Redman were announced as co-writers of an episode for the series,[42] with their episode being directed by Ben Chessell.[43]

Filming for the series marked a change in the studio location, with the new studio, Wolf Studios, taking over from Roath Lock Studios as the company for in-house filming, where the series has filmed since 2012.[44] This change came about as Bad Wolf was set to co-produce along with the BBC going forward.[28] Bad Wolf further filed for a new subsidiary company, also run by Gardner, called "Whoniverse1 LTD".[45]

Pre-production for the series commenced on 26 September 2022,[46] and filming began on 5 December.[47][48] Dylan Holmes Williams directed the first block, consisting of the fourth and fifth episodes.[11][1] Mark Tonderai directed the second block, consisting of the 2023 Christmas Special, having previously directed the eleventh series episodes "The Ghost Monument" and "Rosa" (both 2018).[49][1] Julie Anne Robinson directed the third block, consisting of the first and third episodes.[50][51] Ben Chessell directed the fourth block, consisting of the second and sixth episodes.[52] Jamie Donoughue directed the fifth production block, which consisted of the seventh and eighth episodes.[53][54]

Filming concluded on 14 July 2023.[55]

Production blocks are arranged as follows:

On 24 April 2023, the BBC announced that Murray Gold would be returning as composer for the 2023 specials,[58] and the fourteenth series.[53] The theme tunes for the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby Sunday, titled "Fifteen" and "The Life of Sunday" respectively, debuted on BBC Radio 2 on 12 October 2023, as part of Doctor Who @60: A Musical Celebration.[59][60]