This has been speculated for quite some time now but BBC has finally confirmed that Jodie Whitaker and showrunner Chris Chibnall are leaving the popular series, Doctor Who.
Whitaker and Chibnall have been with the show since 2017 and they will be signing off on the iconic sci-franchise next year. Before they depart, fans can still see their work for the upcoming thirteenth season this fall and they will be a part of three feature-length specials in 2022. The last of these features will mark the end of the Thirteenth Doctor.
Whitaker made a bit of history in the role as the first woman to play the Time Lord. It had long been speculated that Whitaker would be leaving soon because a three-season run would be in line with some of her predecessors like David Tennant and Matt Smith, who left to pursue other projects after spending three seasons on the show. As a showrunner, Chibnall was responsible for casting Whitaker as the first female Doctor Who. Replacing the previous showrunner Steven Moffat four years ago, Chibnall was also responsible for bringing in Tosin Cole (Ryan), Mandip Gill (Yaz), and Bradley Walsh (Graham). Whitaker had this to say about ending her run on the show:
"My heart is so full of love for this show, for the team who make it, for the fans who watch it and for what it has brought to my life. I cannot thank Chris enough for entrusting me with his incredible stories. We knew that we wanted to ride this wave side by side, and pass on the baton together. So here we are, weeks away from wrapping on the best job I have ever had."
Chibnall added to Whitaker's sentiment by saying "Jodie and I made a “three series and out” pact with each other at the start of this once-in-a-lifetime blast. So now our shift is done, and we’re handing back the Tardis keys. Jodie’s magnificent, iconic Doctor has exceeded all our high expectations." Showing their appreciation for what Whitaker and Chibnall brought to the franchise, Piers Wenger, BBC drama director, said, "Over the last four years Chris and Jodie have made Doctor Who history, and their time on the show is indelibly marked on our memories. From Rosa Parks to Ascension of the Cybermen, Chris and Jodie have given Doctor Who some of its most life-affirming and tear-jerking moments to date and we are beyond excited to see what they have in store for us in the new series this autumn."
You can catch the first of next year's specials on New Year's Day and a second will follow in the spring. Whitaker's last turn in the Tardis will begin airing in fall 2022. As of now, there is no word on who will take over for Whiterkar or Chibnall so fans will have to wait with eager anticipation until the final decision is made.
Are YOU sad to see this duo leave Doctor Who?