Chris Chibnall Almost LeftDoctor WhoBecause of the Pandemic

Chris Chibnall ’s public fourth dimension on Doctor Whobegins a tiresome endthis coming weekend with the arriver ofLegend of the Sea Devils , the first of three special episodes that shape the concluding chapter of Chibnall and exiting - Time Lord Jodie Whittaker ’s time on the show . But for the author at least , he nearly leave much , much sooner .

Speaking to theRadio Times , Chibnall revealed that the pressures of the former day of the covid-19 pandemic on Doctor Who ’s output — or lack thereof — stand for there was a time when 2021 ’s event series Flux never happened at all , and both Chibnall and Whittaker simply bow out after just two seasons . “ That we made Doctor Who at all during the retiring two years is a miracle , ” Chibnall said . “ 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 had n’t already planned to leave after serial three , there ’s no path I ’d be remain on now after kick the bucket through that experience . ”

Chibnall and Whittaker ’s rum final “ time of year , ” the six - sequence Flux , 2022’sNew Year ’s Day Special“Eve of the Daleks , ” and now three more standalone episodes littered between Easter 2022 and Who ’s 60th day of remembrance in November 2023 , was heavily transformed by the realities of the pandemic . state of flux as an idea , a heavily serialized seriesof episodes as chapters in a larger story compare to Doctor Who ’s usually episodic tarradiddle data formatting , would n’t have subsist without the constraints put on ensuring safe cinematography after the UK exited its first series of lockdowns . Originally bill as eight episode — already down from the 10 of prior seasons — Flux was cut further down to a political campaign of six . Chibnall further notice at least one plan for a New Year ’s special was scrapped at the last mo , necessitating a new hand .

Image: BBC

“ We had to ditch our original estimation and I had to write a new script in just over a week , ” Chibnall said . “ You ca n’t just go , ‘ Right , we ’ve got the series and then we ’ll do the specials . ’ You ’re forever on this treadmill . ”

hit Doctor Who is a fraught prospect at the best of time , but trying to make it amidst an unprecedented global crisis would test even the most veteran showrunner . At least Chibnall is getting to end his time on the show on his own terms , rather than having his helping hand storm … even if not all of those condition have necessarily change state outquite so well .

Dr. Who returns to BBC One and BBC America this Sunday , April 17 .

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