DOCTOR WHO SERIES 14: PRODUCTION AND AIRING SPECULATION

Please note: TV Zone approached the BBC for comment. They declined to comment on speculation.

The background: Multi award-winning Russell T Davies will take control of the TARDIS once more as the next Doctor Who showrunner, succeeding Chris Chibnall, who departs next year (2022).

Several weeks ago, it was suggested to TV Zone that the BBC were "seeking" for "at least one episode" of Doctor Who to air before November 2023 - citing the fact neither the BBC nor production team want the show to go more than a year without an episode on air - especially in the festive period where it has been a staple of the BBC schedule since 2005.

After this, Russell T. Davies revealed to The Guardian that he had already written some episodes and the first will air in November 2023, marking the show's 60th anniversary.

"I've already written some of the episodes. The first will go out in November 2023 - that's the 60th Anniversary of the show. We have genuinely not cast anyone yet. We're just starting auditions."

Furthermore, it has now been reported by Production Weekly that "Series 14" of Doctor Who will enter production in Spring 2022 (unclear whether this is pre-production or filming). Production Weekly is a subscription based service, so we will not be posting any further details.

A possible 18 month gap between production/filming and airing is very unusual for Doctor Who - where episodes have previously been filmed a matter of months in advance. It's a new era, and it's unclear what form the show will take when it eventually makes it to air, so who knows what they have planned.

If the BBC are indeed seeking an episode of Doctor Who for the 2022 festive period, it would not be unusual for a Doctor's debut story to be a Christmas special. David Tennant's first full story as the Doctor was The Christmas Invasion, broadcast on Christmas Day in 2005.

Either way, it looks like we'll be getting the fourteenth Doctor announcement in the first quarter of 2022. Until then, Doctor Who returns on 1st January 2022 with 'Eve Of The Daleks'. Two specials will then air later in Spring and Autumn 2022.

TV Zone approached the BBC for comment. They declined to comment on speculation. Doctor Who is available to watch in BBC iPlayer.