He’s headed up the Doctor Who creative team since taking over from Russell T Davies in 2010, but when lead writer Stephen Moffat departs the show after series 10 next spring, he reckons it will be for good.

Speaking to students at the Oxford Union last week, Moffat said, “I think as much as I hate to concede it and I’d like to have Russell write for me, this is probably it for me – once I’m done, I’m done.”

Although he loves the show, he said, “I’ve written a hell of a lot of Doctor Who. I’ve written more Doctor Who than anything else, and I’ve written more Doctor Who than anyone else has ever written. It feels as though, in my limited time on this Earth, I really should start focusing on something else. It’s not that I’ve lost love for the show at all, but I think it’s time for Doctor Who to have something new, as well as me.”

Moffat has been a Doctor Who fan since his childhood, and has been writing short stories and episodes of the space traveller’s adventures since 1995. His first contribution to the 2005 reboot of the show was the haunting ‘Empty Child’ two-part story, in which a child with a gas mask repeatedly asks Ecclestone’s Doctor “are you my mummy?”

But it wasn’t until 2010 that he became showrunner, involved in the casting of Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor and then Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth.

Moffat conceded that he tried hard to persuade Davies to continue writing for the series after his departure, telling students that he was “so close…we had storylines and everything”, but that workload proved too much for his predecessor, who since leaving has been involved in Channel 4 and E4 series Cucumber and Banana and the BBC’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Moffat will also be kept busy upon his departure with his BBC series Sherlock expected to continue into a fifth series – but first, he’s got a Christmas Day Doctor Who special and a final series airing this spring. When asked what viewers could expect from his swansong episodes next year, he told students that “the Doctor will reliably save the day, there will be vague speeches, there will be an epic amount of urgent standing, and you will fall in love with Pearl Mackie”.

But first, Christmas – and, according to Moffat, it’s one of those episodes where everything just fell into place. “Some days, it’s quite lucky. Everything seems to work and you think ‘this episode is a cracker’. I slightly feel that about the Christmas Doctor Who, I think it’s one of the ones where everything just seemed to click into place.”

And despite coming to the end of his role at Doctor Who, his second BBC commitment looms large. So who would win in a battle between Sherlock and the Doctor?

“In the case of that slight improbable event, I suppose the Doctor would be better. But, you know, Superman would be pretty good, too.”

A Doctor Who writer from the “classic” era of the sci-fi stalwart is returning for next year’s series, the BBC has confirmed.

Rona Munro, who previously wrote Sylvester McCoy adventure Survival in 1989 will return to the series after 27 years to pen series 10’s ninth episode, which will apparently be titled The Eaters of Light.

And she’s not the only returning writer next year, with series representatives also confirming to us that  Jamie Mathieson (who wrote Mummy on the Orient Express, Flatline and The Girl Who Died in the last two series) rejoining the crew to write the new series’ fifth episode.

Writing on his blog about the announcement, Mathieson said: “Yes, I am back writing for Doctor Who. As evidenced by the accompanying photo which I call ‘Power Stance while Protecting Groin’.”

The guest cast for Munro’s episode will include Rebecca Benson, Daniel Kerr, Juwon Adedokun, Brian Vernel, Ben Hunter, Aaron Phagura, Sam Adewunmi and Billy Matthews, while Mathieson’s will feature Kieran Bew, Justin Salinger, Peter Caulfield, Mimi Ndiweni and Karen Brayben.

Other returning writers for the upcoming tenth series include showrunner Steven Moffat, Sarah Dollard and Frank Cottrell-Boyce, alongside newcomer to the series Mike Bartlett.

Doctor Who will return to BBC1 on Christmas Day, and for a full series in April 2017

Actor Eddie Redmayne, the star of the Harry Pottter spin-off film Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, has been chatting about the possibilty of becoming The Doctor.

Speaking on the BBC Radio 1 Breakfast show, he responded to host Nick Grimshaw’s question regarding playing the Time Lord; he said:

“Would I do it? Yeah! It’s a great show. I’m also a huge fan of those actors, love Matt Smith.”

Redmayne plays Newt Scamander who has a number of traits similar to everyone’s favourite Gallifreyan – namely scarf, bow tie, snazzy suit and a suitcase which appears to have TARDIS-like qualities. The actor added:

“I do see the resemblance. I see the scarf, I see the coat, I see the bow tie. I suppose the briefcase has a TARDIS vibe to it – so yeah!”

But it could be some time before we see Eddie in Doctor Who, he stated:

“It looks like a lot of work. I’ve spoken to Matt [Smith] and those schedules are pretty rigorous. Maybe when I’m 73.”

Read more and listen to his interview here.

She’s earned the role of Peter Capaldi’s right-hand woman in series 10 of Doctor Who.

And Pearl Mackie, 29, was pictured filmed scenes for the popular sci-fi drama in woodland in Cardiff, on Friday.

Illuminated by large lamps, Pearl’s character appeared concerned as she gazed into the distance.

The shoulder and collar of her red sweater were covered in mud, indicating she’d been in some sort of struggle.

One of her co-stars was dressed as a knight in chainmail and heavy-duty armour, suggesting she had returned to a bygone era.

The Doctor’s assistant looked lost and alone as she made her way through the undergrowth, possibly being stalked by a dangerous enemy.

In between takes, Pearl wrapped up in a coat and chatted with crew members.

Pearl was cast in April to replace Jenna Coleman, who quit the sci-fi series after its ninth outing, when the show returns in spring 2017.

She was first seen filming for the show in June. Pictured on set at a late-night shoot at Cardiff University, she showed off her svelte figure in a striped vest top and jeans.

The theatre actress – best known for her role in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time – was announced as the Doctor’s new sidekick during the FA Cup semi-final match, with a special teaser trailer showing her and the Time Lord facing off against a Dalek.

She certainly has a fan in her co-star Peter, who said: ‘It is a genuine delight to welcome Pearl Mackie to Doctor Who’.

‘A fine, fine actress with a wonderful zest and charm, she’s a refreshing addition to the TARDIS and will bring a universe of exciting new possibilities to The Doctor’s adventures.’

Doctor Who series 10 will air next Spring, with filming expected to finish on March 31.