Doctor Who Showrunner Demanded Female Doctor When He Was Hired, New Key Art Released

In an interview with Digital Spy, Doctor Who season 11 showrunner Chris Chibnall revealed that casting a female Doctor for the new series was his demand before getting hired. Here are highlights:

On casting a female Doctor: “It felt like a straightforward decision, it’s not that controversial. It’s very hard to think of many examples in its 55-year history where the Doctor takes a decision based upon gender.”

Producer Matt Strevens on Chibnall’s hiring: “Once Peter had decided he was leaving, the next Doctor was always going to be a female Doctor. That’s what Chris wanted, that was part of his conditions of doing the job.”

Strevens on the gender of the Doctor: “We knew in our gut it was about time and it felt like the right decision, and the character is not gender-specific, in any way really. If ever there was a character that was never defined by gender, it’s the Doctor. The Doctor is gender fluid in that sense.”

Meanwhile, the BBC has released a new poster for the season, which will debut on October 7.

An adventure like no other. New Doctor Who, Sunday 7th October. pic.twitter.com/jZI7ZZr733

— Doctor Who Official (@bbcdoctorwho) September 17, 2018