While most details about Doctor Who Series 11 have been kept under wraps, the full list of directors has now been announced – and all four are newcomers to the show!
Among a few names already rumoured or confirmed for the 10-episode run is Jennifer Perrott, whose list of credits include numerous episodes of Doctors, Home and Away, and Echo Beach, as well as the short 2016 film, The Ravens, which she also wrote. Perrott will be at the helm for episodes 5 and 8.
Meanwhile, Jodie Whittaker’s debut season as the Thirteenth Doctor will be bookended by Jamie Childs, who becomes the most prolific director for Series 11. He’s worked with Whittaker before – on her announcement trailer which aired on BBC1 last year! He’s in charge of episodes 1, 7, 9, and 10, which we can only presume means we’re due for a two-part finale. Childs has previously worked on Stan Lee’s Lucky Man, Vera, and Poldark.
They’re joined by Sallie Aprahamian (The Dumping Ground; Wolfblood) and Mark Tonderai (Lucifer; House at the End of the Street), the latter of whom was in charge of Block Two, which filmed in South Africa at the beginning of the year. That means that the final line-up looks like this:
- Jamie Childs
- Mark Tonderai
- Mark Tonderai
- Sallie Aprahamian
- Jennifer Perrott
- Sallie Aprahamian
- Jamie Childs
- Jennifer Perrott
- Jamie Childs
- Jamie Childs
Rachel Talalay (Heaven Sent/ Hell Bent) has confirmed that she was asked back for Series 11, but that she didn’t have time; in light of that decision, it appears new showrunner, Chris Chibnall has picked an array of directors who haven’t worked on Doctor Who before.
It really is all change behind the scenes: not only is Chris Chibnall the new Head Honcho, but Matt Strevens (An Adventure in Space and Time) and Sam Hoyle (Broadchurch) also join Doctor Who as executive producers.
Is this a good move? Or would you prefer to see some familiar faces working behind the cameras?
Doctor Who Series 11 is expected to air on BBC1 and BBC America in October 2018.
