Matt Smith spoke to the Guardian about returning for a new series of Doctor Who, which starts filming from 20th February; he said: I'll be shooting sort of now until December on Doctor Who. It's a long shoot, but we've got four or five scripts which look in really good shape, and the casting is going very well - I had a lovely bit of news this morning, actually, about someone who's going to be in it, I couldn't possibly tell you but it's exciting. You'll know him ... or her! Looking forward to it, I love making it."

The director for the first block of the new series has been named as Saul Metzstein, whose previous work includes the BBC's 2010 revival of Upstairs Downstairs (The Cuckoo), 2009's dramatisation of Sinclair/Acorn micro 'war' of the 1980s in Micro Men, and his award-winning comedy Late Night Shopping from 2001 (for which he won Best Director in the BAFTA Scotland awards).

During an interview published in the University Observer on the 8th February, lead writer Steven Moffat commented on production of the new series: "We just had our official day commencing pre-production on Doctor Who, so as for knowing when it's actually going to be shown is a little bit optimistic. But we'll definitely show it, and I'm pretty sure it will be the autumn." And on Amy and Rory's departure: I'm writing that right now, the big Rory and Amy heartbreaking finale. It will be quite heartbreaking, I think you’ll be in trouble watching it."

The series will be produced at the the BBC's Roath Lock Drama Village in Cardiff Bay. The site is to have its official opening in March, and has already been awarded a Breeam outstanding certificate - the first industrial complex in the UK to receive the highest possible environmental rating. The old port area surrounding it is to be further redeveloped, creating new shops, restaurants and homes. Business Minister Edwina Hart said: "Porth Teigr represents a long term investment by the Welsh government in the future of Cardiff our capital city and 2012 promises to be a significant year as we enter the next phase of regeneration and development. The presence of the BBC Wales studios provides a strong focal point around which we want to create a central hub and cluster for the creative industries across South Wales where companies can work together, share ideas and develop collaborative links with other facilities in the area." [BBC News, 13 Feb 2012]

The writing team for the next series of Doctor Who sees the return of two of the Matt Smith era's established contributors.

The new issue of Doctor Who Magazine (on general release from tomorrow) reports that Chris Chibnall and Toby Whithouse form part of the team under the watchful gaze of lead writer Steven Moffat. Chibnall contributed to inaugural Matt Smith series with the two part The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood, with Whithouse writing for both that first series with The Vampires of Venice followed by last year's The God Complex.

The two join the unconfirmed writers Mark Gatiss and John Fay. Gatiss was responsible for the eleventh Doctor's first encounter with his old enemies in Victory of the Daleks, and last year's Night Terrors. This new series will be Fay's first script for Doctor Who, having written previously for Torchwood's Children of Earth and Miracle Day.

Though there has been no formal announcement over how the series will be structured, Whithouse was a guest at last weekend's SFX Weekender, mentioning that his script was currently planned as the third episode - though the story order is not necessarily set in stone, as seen with Night Terrors and Curse of the Black Spot last year.

Rehearsals for the new series begin next week (at least for Matt Smith!).

Cast

Karen Gillan has revealed what led to her leaving the show. "It was a mutual decision between me and Steven Moffat over a lovely dinner actually. We both opened up about where we were at with it and then came to the conclusion that this was the best time to go." She added that she would miss working on the programme but was looking forward to other projects (as previously reported, Gillan will be appearing in the film Not Another Happy Ending). "I've had the most fun, so that makes me sad to leave, and I've made my best friends on the show as well. But it's time to go on to other things and all stories come to their natural end so I'm excited." [BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat, 31 Jan 2012]

Meanwhile, until such time as when the production team reveal the next TARDIS traveller, speculation over who it might be continues. News Corporation's IGN Entertainment ran a poll to see who their readers consider as the best candidate, with Harry Potter star Emma Watson named the favourite with 28.2% of the vote; runners up included Zooey Deschanel (New Girl, 22.01%), Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies, 9.90%), Pixie Lott (singer, 5.53%) and Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones, 5.06%). The male potential wasn't completely forgotten, with sixth place going to John Boyega (Attack of the Block, 4.68%). [IGN, 2/6 Feb 2012]

Matt Smith has described how he sees his future in the show and how the companions gap in the TARDIS could be filled. Speaking at the NTA Awards - where he won the gong for Outstanding Drama Performance (Male) - he said: "I'm really pleased with the award. We always try to do the best every day and try to improve the show as best we can. I wouldn't mind a male companion now that Karen has left. I've always believed me and Karen would have different journeys in Doctor Who. I'm sad she's left, but the show is bigger than all the actors who have been in it. I have no plans to leave, though. I've definitely got a year left in the show and I'll take it from there." [BANG Showbiz, 26 Jan 2012]

He added: "I just sort of take each year as it comes really. We've got all the rest of this year to get through and then we'll just sit down and review it from there and see where it goes. But I love playing the part and I love working with Steven Moffat." Referring to Tom Baker, the longest-running Doctor from 1974 to 1981, he added: "I think there will need to be a younger, cooler person than me - or maybe an older, cooler person, who knows? But I don't think I'll be doing it as long as Mr Baker." [Press Association, 30 Jan 2012]

Alex Kingston - shortly to be seen in Upstairs, Downstairs - has dropped a hint that she might be returning to Doctor Who as River Song. During the recording that featured her appearance on The Graham Norton Show, which aired on BBC One on 3rd February, she told the chat-show host: "You may see her again. Who knows? Let's just say Upstairs, Downstairs and Doctor Who don't film at the same time." That part of the recording didn't make the final edit, though. [Radio Times, 2 Feb 2012]

Production

Matt Smith reported on when filming would be kicking off for the new series: "we start shooting on the 20th February, and I start rehearsing on the 13th, we've got some corkers coming your way". [BBC News, 24 Jan 2012]

The actor also commented on how he stays healthy to cope with the hectic filming schedule: "Fruit, vegetables, good sleep if you can and preparation is the key," [Press Association, 30 Jan 2012]

In the programme for the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular held in Melbourne on 4th February, show runner Steven Moffat wrote: "Doctor Who's 50th anniversary is coming. In Cardiff, we're gearing up for the biggest, the best and the most ambitious season we've ever made. There will be shocks, surprises and heartbreak - the Doctor is about to say goodbye to his very best friends, Amy and Rory. And then he's about to say hello to someone very different - the Doctor is going to meet someone very new in the very last place he could ever have expected..." [Radio Times, 6 Feb 2012]

As full production gets nearer, here is a roundup of current information known about the forthcoming seventh new series of Doctor Who.

Production

January 3rd saw producer Marcus Wilson announce a start to the new year on Twitter: "Back in Cardiff. Series 7 Production office open for business - here we go again." He also observed: "Just worked out this year we're making the hundredth ep of DW since the series returned. Nice milestone. There should be a cake!"

As far as the Series 7 writers are concerned, Mark Gatiss intimates in the Production Notes of the latest edition of Doctor Who Magazine that he is penning an episode. Previously, we reported that Torchwood scribe John Fay had been commissioned to write for the upcoming series, and his agency, Culverhouse & James Ltd, has updated its website entry on him to state that he has written for the show.

Filming for the series is expected to begin in February.

Series schedule

An interview with Steven Moffat that was published by The Scotsman shortly before the Christmas special aired tackled the thorny issue of Series 7's scheduling and how many episodes will be shown this year and next. Asked to shed light on it, he said: "I can clarify that we start shooting in mid-February, but I can't tell you what the schedule is. What headlines are you planning for that time of year? I’ve only just found out what the transmission schedule is for Sherlock, and I've finished making that. I've barely started writing Doctor Who. Loads of things are in flux, all for good reasons actually."

Where 2013 and the show's 50th anniversary are concerned, Moffat gave a strong hint that fans may get more than one special episode. "Why talk in the singular? Again, genuinely, the plans are at an early stage, but we have some very clear ideas about some of the things we're doing, and I think Doctor Who fans and kids will think it's the best thing ever. We've got a load of very big plans – the mere fact that we're talking about this two years before the event should tell you how seriously we're taking it."

During a video interview at this year's Radio Times covers party, which was uploaded yesterday, Moffat said of the show's 50th anniversary: "I promise you, for so many reasons I can't talk about yet, there will never be a better time to be a Doctor Who fan, I absolutely promise that."

He also said the series would be returning this year on an unspecified date in the autumn "for a long run" but he wouldn't be pinned down on its length. However, he stated that it would comprise at least 14 episodes, as it would include a Christmas special. "We always do 14 because we do the Christmas special as well and obviously we start in the autumn with the Christmas special as part of the run, so it'll be at least 14," he said.

Sidekicks

As we await an official announcement regarding Amy and Rory's replacement aboard the TARDIS following their upcoming departure, speculation continues in the press. After an enigmatic tweet by showrunner Steven Moffat, the Daily Star reckons Sophia Myles could be the one. What doesn't help the Star in the credibility stakes, though, is the photo it is currently using to accompany the article - the caption states that it depicts Myles but it is actually of Karen Gillan as Jean Shrimpton in We'll Take Manhattan, to be shown next Thursday on BBC Four at 9pm.

Meanwhile, in an interview for Radio Times in its new edition, which features her on the cover, Gillan talks about leaving the programme. "It was a completely mutual agreement," she insists. "Steven Moffat and I decided when would be the best time for Amy to go." Gillan might know when she's going but she doesn’t know how - only that Moffat has promised it will be heartbreaking. "I'd like to see her go out in flames of glory," she says.

One name that has resurfaced as potential companion material is that of Miranda Hart. It was widely reported last summer that she had been offered a role in the show by Steven Moffat but had been stopped from accepting it by BBC One controller Danny Cohen, who wanted her to focus on her comedy. Now it seems that her name is being bandied about again. Please note, though, that it is pure conjecture and may not even relate to a companion role. Last month we reported how Ladbrokes was offering odds of 4/1 for Jessica Brown Findlay as the new companion, with Lily Cole at 6/1, Daisy Lowe at 10/1, and Chelsee Healey at 12/1.

The BBC have reported some news about developments in the next series of Doctor Who, as revealed at tonight's press screening of The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe.

The following may be considered a spoiler for the next series, and appeared on the official BBC Doctor Who Twitter feed:


More details are expected to be announced tomorrow (Friday).

The producer of the behind-the-scenes documentary series Doctor Who Confidential, Zoe Rushton, has confirmed on Twitter that the show will no longer be produced by the BBC. The final edition of the show will be broadcast this coming Saturday at 8:35pm on BBC3 (with Rushton clarifying that previously reported production for a Christmas edition is no longer occuring).

Reasons for the show's cancellation have been cited by the Guardian newspaper as being financial in nature, with the BBC having to engage in several cost-cutting exercises to meet its tighter budget. Part of this initiative has been a 're-alignment' of programming on BBC3, with controller Zai Bennett commenting at last month's Edinburgh International Television Festival that "it's about focusing my budget on 9pm and 10pm; those are the time slots that count. Budgets are tight, so we have to be sensible with the money we have." Further details about BBC3 changes are expected to be outlined by the Director General, Mark Thompson on 6th October.

The BBC Press Office confirmed to us that:

Karen Gillan had told the website Zap2it that she is staying with Doctor Who for the foreseeable future and will be returning as Amy Pond for the next series of the show which goes into production at the end of the year.

Doctor Who has been commissioned for a further fourteen episodes following this year's Christmas Special, and previously only Matt Smith was known to have been contracted for the run. Gillan was interviewed at Comic-Con and when asked if she would be returning she said, "I am going to come back, yes,That's the first time I've said that today".

The 33rd series will be the seventh full series since the show returned in 2005. It is due to be shown during 2012 and 2013.

The BBC has announced that Caroline Skinner will join Steven Moffat as Executive Producer on Doctor Who.

Skinner has recently been working as producer on Five Days, a serial for BBC One. She has previously been script editor on productions such as House of Saddam, The Shadow in the North, The Ruby in the Smoke and Bleak House.

Skinner will start work on the series immediately, working alongside departing Executive Producer Piers Wenger on the 2011 Christmas special, before taking charge for the fourteen episodes which form the next series of the show, which leads up to the programme's 50th Anniversary.

Speaking about the appointment, Moffat told the official website:

BBC1 Controller Danny Cohen today revealed that, after much speculation generated since the Private Eye article and subsequent BBC announcements last week, Doctor Who will indeed be returning in a curtailed form during 2012.

Speaking at the Church and Media Conference this afternoon, he answered a number of questions relating to Doctor Who and Sherlock:

The BBC's Entertainment Correspondent Lizo Mzimba later confirmed the comments in the evening, but added that the BBC had said those made by Cohen on the decision being made to enable head writer Steven Moffat more time to write his other hit series Sherlock were light-hearted and not meant to be taken seriously.

No other details are known on how many episodes will comprise the 2012 run at present; Sam Hodges, who confirmed the commissioning last week, re-iterated: "situation stays the same - 14 episodes commissioned, starting in 2012. How they will play out will be revealed at a later date.


Later, commenting on the various media stories circulating over Cohen's announcement, Steven Moffat said: "Dr Who: misquotes and misunderstandings. But I'm not being bounced into announcing the cool stuff before we're ready. Hush, and patience."

Sam Hodges, Head of Communications for BBC1, Fiction, Daytime and HD at the BBC has confirmed on Twitter this afternoon that Doctor Who has indeed been commissioned for a further fourteen episodes, with Matt Smith continuing in the role. Head writer Stephen Moffat re-iterated:
No details on how the next series will be broadcast have been revealed at present, though Doctor Who Magazine confirmed that one will be the now traditional Christmas Special for 2011. Meanwhile the Guardian has reported a BBC spokesperson as saying:

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The news comes after UK satirical publication Private Eye commented on Twitter that details on the state of Doctor Who production appear in their latest issue; coupled by an interview with Matt Smith in Saturday's Mirror about his Hollywood aspirations, this had promoted widespread speculation in fandom over the series' future.