We’re mere days away from seeing Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor bursting back on to our screens in Doctor Who season 14, and fan excitement has now reached boiling point.
Even though there’s still plenty being kept under wraps ahead of the season’s debut, we have been learning bits and pieces about the upcoming episodes, with two new clips having been released for the first episode, Space Babies.
One of the clips sees the Doctor explaining his lifestyle to Ruby as they look out into the cosmos on board a space station, while another sees the duo experiencing some pretty unexpected consequences from the butterfly effect.
Future episodes will include a regency romp with Jonathan Groff and Indira Varma (which Gatwa and Millie Gibson have declared their favourite episode) and Steven Moffat’s new episode Boom, in which the Doctor gets stuck on a landmine.
We also know the rest of the episode titles and writers for the first season since the BBC struck a deal with Disney Plus, with Moffat writing one, the writing partnership of Kate Herron and Briony Redman taking on another and showrunner Russell T Davies crafting the rest of the instalments, taking on the lion’s share.
Doctor Who season 14 release date
Doctor Who season 14 will begin on Saturday 11th May 2024, the BBC has confirmed.
The first two episodes will be released at once, and will debut on BBC iPlayer at midnight before airing on TV back-to-back later that day before the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final, with the broadcast time slots recently being revealed.
Episode 1, Space Babies, will begin at 6:20pm on 11th May, and will be followed by episode 2, The Devil’s Chord, at 7:05pm.
The midnight release means new episodes of Doctor Who will be released around the world at exactly the same time, with UK fans able to watch on BBC iPlayer and fans around the world able to tune in on Disney Plus.
The episodes will be arriving in a new release format, with fans around the world getting them available to stream simultaneously, at midnight UK time, ahead of them airing on BBC One later that day.
This change has provoked a mixed reaction from fans, but Davies has defended the decision, explaining some of the reasons behind it.
Writing in Doctor Who Magazine, Davies acknowledged the backlash, but insisted that this flexible release strategy is the “future” of television – which has been evolving rapidly since the rise of streaming services.
The screenwriter also called attention to Doctor Who’s history of staggered release schedules, from Paul McGann’s film being released on VHS days before its television broadcast to The Five Doctors novelisation arriving weeks before the episode itself.
“And now we have 2024,” wrote Davies. “With plenty of warning of the new pattern, for you to plan ahead and choose your own viewing. And that’s the point: choice. You’re not having to change your habits to fit the show, the show is changing to fit you.
“And it’s changing to adopt the patterns of all modern TV shows. Yes, I think all of them, very soon. This is the future, and it’s here, right now.”
Filming for season 14 began in December 2022, shortly after it was announced that Gatwa had been cast as the Fifteenth Doctor.
Production wrapped in July 2023, with showrunner Russell T Davies sharing a full cast and crew photo.
Our brand new Doctor was unveiled back in May 2022 ahead of Jodie Whittaker’s last adventure in The Power of the Doctor, with Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa announced in the role.
Gatwa said at the time: “There aren’t quite the words to describe how I’m feeling. A mix of deeply honoured, beyond excited and, of course, a little bit scared.
“This role and show means so much to so many around the world, including myself, and each one of my incredibly talented predecessors has handled that unique responsibility and privilege with the utmost care. I will endeavour my upmost to do the same.”
He added: “Russell T Davies is almost as iconic as the Doctor himself and being able to work with him is a dream come true. His writing is dynamic, exciting, incredibly intelligent and fizzing with danger.
“An actor’s metaphorical playground. The entire team have been so welcoming and truly give their hearts to the show. And so as much as it’s daunting, I’m aware I’m joining a really supportive family. Unlike the Doctor, I may only have one heart but I am giving it all to this show.”
Davies later gave an update on Gatwa’s Doctor, telling RadioTimes.com: “I can promise you a completely new Doctor, and yet a Doctor utterly faithful to the 60 years that came before. Soon, the secret will be out, and we’ll all be dancing!”
Other Doctor Who legends have also had high praise for the star, from Matt Smith to Sylvester McCoy – so clearly he’s well and truly part of the club.
