Jodie Whittaker’s final episodes as the Thirteenth Doctor haven’t even aired yet, but work appears to have already begun on the next era of Doctor Who. After stepping on board the TARDIS at the end of 2017, Whittaker will be handing over her sonic screwdriver to Doctor No. 14 later this year. But while the identity of the next incarnation of the Time Lord is still a secret, evidence suggests the Fourteenth Doctor’s tenure is in “production” right now.
As noted by diligent fans on social media, the online resumé of block producer Vicki Delow confirms that Doctor Who is “currently in production” at its new home at Bad Wolf Studios in Wales.
Remember, current showrunner Chris Chibnall is bowing out alongside Whittaker, with acclaimed screenwriter Russell T. Davies announced to be coming back to the series to take over from him. Davies previously helmed the Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant eras from 2005-10. What fans are calling the “RTD2” era begins with Who‘s 60th anniversary special, airing in November 2023.
Season fourteen will likely follow on directly after that, going by another online resumé. This time, producer Phil Collinson labels the next season as “currently in development.”
There’s some confusion over exactly what stage season fourteen is at, then, given the use of both “in production” and “in development” in these résumés. However, it does seem too soon for the cameras to already be rolling on the Fourteenth Doctor’s tenure. We do know that Davies has written several scripts, though, and he’s confirmed that auditions began in December.
With things heating up, hopefully, some further news on the (past, present, and) future of Doctor Who will materialize soon. In the meantime, Whittaker has just two more standalone specials to go. The first, titled “Legend of the Sea Devils”, arrives this spring.