
The BBC has released details for Series Nine of Doctor Who, which began filming in Cardiff at the start of last week.
The episodes currently being filmed are written by
Toby Whithouse whose first worked on the series in 2006, when he wrote
School Reunion, the story which saw the reintroduction of Sarah Jane Smith and K-9 into the series. He also wrote
The Vampires of Venice,
The God Complex and
A Town Called Mercy for the Eleventh Doctor, as well as an episode of Torchwood.
Steven Moffat, lead writer and Executive Producer, said,
An amazing guest cast for a brilliantly creepy two-parter by Toby Whithouse. Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman are back in Cardiff, back in the box, and back in action - for one of our scariest adventures yet!
On set filming for the new series,
Peter Capaldi added
The adventures begin again for myself and Jenna and I’m delighted to be back filming my second series of Doctor Who.
Joining the Doctor and Clara in the story will be
Paul Kaye who is known for playing Thoros of Myr in the third series of
Game of Thrones. In the 1990's he was better known for creating Dennis Pennis, the shock interviewer who ambushed celebrities with bizarre questions. Kaye is also well-known for being the voice of Vincent the fox on the puppet-based BBC comedy
Mongrels.
Commenting on his role, Paul Kaye, said

As a kid of the 1970s, the two shows you always watched were Top of the Pops and Doctor Who, they were unmissable. I actually wrote a song called ‘Looking for Davros’ in my first punk band and I sang it like a demented Dalek. I got to present TOTP back in the mid ‘90’s and landing this role in Doctor Who completes the dream double.
Peter is a perfect Doctor and I’m loving every minute of the experience, even the five hours in make-up. What a treat, best 50th birthday present ever!
Also starring in the episodes will be
Morven Christie who recently played the role of Amanda in the crime drama
Grantchester and featured in
Death in Paradise (2014) and
Twenty Twelve.
Other guest artists in the story include
Arsher Ali who played the part of Malik Suri in the critically acclaimed
The Missing (BBC One) and
Colin McFarlane who appeared in
EastEnders as part of the Who Killed Lucy Beale? storyline. McFarlane provided an alien voice in the 2007 Christmas story
Voyage of the Damned as well as appearing in
Torchwood: Children of Earth.
Actress
Sophie Stone also appears in the show for the first time. Stone was the lead actress in the play Woman of Flowers and has appeared in
Midsummer Murders and Casualty. Also confirmed for roles in the double episode are
Zaqi Ismail,
Steven Robertson and
Neil Fingleton.
While filming continues in Cardiff, plans are underway for location filming later in the series, with the show heading back to Spain according to a tweet from Director of photography
Ali Asad. Last year's episode
Kill The Moon was filmed on the Spanish island of Lanzarote, as was the 1984 story
Planet of Fire. Spain has also been used for location work for
The Two Doctors,
Asylum of the Daleks and
A Town Called Mercy.
The new series will be back in Autumn 2015.