‘Doctor Who’ Season 12 Not Due to Land Until 2020

Season 11 of Doctor Who came to a close Sunday night, with a New Year’s Day special landing in three weeks.

But following on from the news that Jodie Whittaker — the first female Time Lord — will be returning for at least another season in the Tardis, as unveiled by The Hollywood Reporter, it has now been confirmed that this season won’t be hitting screens until 2020, giving the BBC hit show an unusual yearlong break from screens. 

“We’re off again! Well we never actually stopped,” showrunner Chris Chibnall said in a statement. “As Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor and friends have been winning the hearts of families across the nation this autumn, we’ve been busy with a whole new set of action packed adventures for the 13th Doctor.”

Chibnall also confirmed that Whittaker’s three companions would also be returning, adding: “We adore making this show and have been blown away by the response from audiences, so we can’t wait to bring more scares, more monsters and more Bradley Walsh, Mandip Gill and Tosin Cole to BBC One. Brilliant!”

The first episode of the latest season of the cult sci-fi show drew the program’s biggest launch viewing figures in 10 years in the U.K. with 10.9 million. Meanwhile, in the U.S., Whittaker’s first season garnered more viewers than those of former Doctors Matt Smith, David Tennant, and Christopher Eccleston, and had a 20 percent jump on the final season featuring Peter Capaldi. 

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