Steven Moffat’s next series of Doctor Who will be his last

Steven Moffat has announced that he is to step down as the lead writer and executive producer of Doctor Who.

He took over control of the show in 2010 and was responsible for introducing the Eleventh and the Twelfth Doctors as well as the popular companions Amy Pond and Clara Oswald. His final series will be broadcast on BBC One during the spring next year and there will also be a Christmas Special later this year.

Steven Moffat said: “Feels odd to be talking about leaving when I’m just starting work on the scripts for season 10, but the fact is my timey-wimey is running out. While Chris is doing his last run of Broadchurch, I’ll be finishing up on the best job in the universe and keeping the TARDIS warm for him. It took a lot of gin and tonic to talk him into this, but I am beyond delighted that one of the true stars of British Television drama will be taking the Time Lord even further into the future. At the start of season 11, Chris Chibnall will become the new showrunner of Doctor Who. And I will be thrown in a skip.”

Chris Chibnall is a lifelong Doctor Who fan as well as being an award winning writer and executive producer. He has most recently achieved massive success with the hit ITV drama series Broadchurch.

Chris Chibnall, new Head Writer and Executive Producer, said: "Doctor Who is the ultimate BBC programme: bold, unique, vastly entertaining, and adored all around the world. So it's a privilege and a joy to be the next curator of this funny, scary and emotional family drama. I’ve loved Doctor Who since I was four years old, and I’m relishing the thought of working with the exceptional team at BBC Wales to create new characters, creatures and worlds for the Doctor to explore. Steven’s achieved the impossible by continually expanding Doctor Who's creative ambition, while growing its global popularity. He’s been a dazzling and daring showrunner, and hearing his plans and stories for 2017, it’s clear he’ll be going out with a bang. Just to make my life difficult."