Jodie Whittaker and writer Chris Chibnall almost left Doctor Who in 2020.
Chris, who took over from Steven Moffat as Doctor Who showrunner for series 11, has revealed that the pressures of working during the Covid-19 pandemic almost brought his time on the show to an early end. It turns out Whittaker and Chibnall always planned to leave after three series, but the pandemic threatened to make their time on the show end after just two series.
"That we made Doctor Who at all during the past two years is a miracle," he told Radio Times.
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"There was a point around April/May 2020 where it looked like we’d have to call it a day after two series. If we hadn’t already planned to leave after series 3, there’s no way I’d be staying on now after going through that experience."
Thankfully, the duo did decide the struggle was worth it and they stayed with the show amid all the changes that came with the lockdowns and pandemic-related rules and restrictions.
However, despite their best efforts, their plans for a full series were scrapped and instead cut down to a six-episode event. The show's planned New Year's special also had to be axed.
Related: Jodie Whittaker talks revisiting Doctor Who in extra podcast episodes following show exit
Not only that, but a planned trio of specials which will end with the Doctor's regeneration at the end of the year faced budgetary and production struggles.
As a result, he was forced to adjust his plans for the Eve of the Daleks special and rush to put together a new story.
"We had to ditch our original idea and I had to write a new script in just over a week," Chibnall said. "You can’t just go, 'Right, we’ve got the series and then we’ll do the specials.' You’re constantly on this treadmill."
Chibnall wrote five episodes of Doctor Who under former showrunners, Russell T Davies and Moffat, before taking over in their place.
Doctor Who's next special, 'Legend of the Sea Devils', premieres on April 17 on BBC One in the UK. In the US, the show airs on BBC America, with series 1-12 available on HBO Max.
For more information on Doctor Who: Time Fracture, head this way – tickets are also available via retailers including LOVEtheatre, London Theatre Direct, Fever and Ticketmaster.
