The BBC have revealed that the making of Doctor Who Series 12 began in earnest on the 23rd January.
Just over three weeks since the broadcast of New Year’s Day Special Resolution, Series 12 has moved from its pre-production phase to production. It’s not clear if any actual filming took place today. However, Jodie Whittaker (The Doctor), Bradley Walsh (Graham), Mandip Gill (Yaz) and Tosin Cole (Ryan) are all back at work.
The BBC tweeted a picture of the TARDIS Team on location, gearing up for another season of adventure.
#DoctorWho is back in production! ?? pic.twitter.com/vouZZfMuTV
— Doctor Who Official (@bbcdoctorwho) January 23, 2019
Team TARDIS are back on tour
But where could they be? Shorts, shades and tans don’t seem to fit too well with Cardiff in January. Well, thanks to Bradley Walsh’s co-stars on The Chase we can make a good guess. After winning National Television Award for Best Quiz Show, The Chase team included Walsh in their acceptance speech via FaceTime from South Africa! Where he was ‘working on another show.’
Being in South Africa wasn’t going to stop Bradders from making an appearance at this year’s National Television Awards.@ITVChase #TheChase @OfficialNTAs #NTAs pic.twitter.com/7mwVjaLcQG
— ITV (@ITV) January 23, 2019
Last year, of course, South Africa was the home of a very successful shooting block of Doctor Who. Both The Ghost Monument and Rosa were filmed there as the South African landscape became the planet Desolation and the 1950s town of Montgomery, Alabama. The diversity of the scenery available to the Doctor Who team as well as the ability to film in relative secrecy along with the friendly and talented South African crew undoubtedly played a role in deciding to return.
Doctor Who Series 12 is scheduled to return to our screens in ‘early 2020.’ And filming starting today would fit that schedule. Filming on Series 11 began on the 21st of October 2017 for broadcast on the 7th of October 2018. So Series 12 filming beginning on the 23rd of January 2019 hints – just hints, Blogtor Who must emphasize – at a premiere date in early January 2020 for next season.
As with last year’s season, Series 12 will be overseen by showrunner Chris Chibnall and Executive Producer Matt Strevens. Costume designer Ray Holman has also indicated he’s returning. But apart from that, as with last year, the production team are keeping their cards close to their chest in terms of writers and directors.
So set your watches and settle in. Doctor Who has begun its long journey home once more. And there are many months of Bradley Walsh gags, Tosin Cole power naps, and larking about from Mandip Gill and Jodie Whittaker before they’re done.
