Posted in: BBC, Disney+, TV | Tagged: doctor who

Doctor Who: Disney+ Shares Some Good News on How Show Is Doing

Disney+ had some good news to share regarding how well Doctor Who is doing when it confirmed April 12th as the show's return date.

Though the excitement about the second season of Showrunner Russell T. Davies's Ncuti Gatwa (Fifteenth Doctor), Millie Gibson (Ruby Sunday), and Varada Sethu (Belinda Chandra)-starring Doctor Who is continuing to build as we inch closer to its April 12th premiere, the 800 lb. Dalek in the room that can't be ignored are the question marks surrounding the show's future. Will Disney+ stay on as a co-producer after this season? Will Gatwa remain the Doctor after this upcoming season? Will there be a Christmas Special this year? The rumblings out there have ranged from patient optimism to "The Sky Is Falling!" severe pessimism – and everything in between.

But a sliver of hope was included in Disney+'s press release confirming the April return date, with the streaming service including this bit of intel on how well Season 14 performed: "'Doctor Who' remains one of the most watched programmes on iPlayer and was a top 5 series on Disney+ globally every week it aired, as well as being the BBC's top drama for under 35's this year making it one of the biggest programmes for the demographic across all streamers and broadcasters." Joining Gatwa, Sethu, Gibson, and Cumming for the second season are Rose Ayling-Ellis, Anita Dobson, Christopher Chung, Michelle Greenidge, Jonah Hauer-King, Ruth Madeley, Jemma Redgrave, Susan Twist, and Alan Cumming as the voice of Mr Ring-a-Ding.

Doctor Who Season 2 Writers: Dawson, Ellams, McTighe & Angel-Walfall

"'Doctor Who' takes its talent from a glittering galaxy of names, and these extraordinary writers span the skies. We've got old hands, new stars, voices from theatre, radio, and literature – the whole works! It's the most wild and exciting season of 'Doctor Who' yet, and I can't wait to unleash their brilliant work," Davies shared about Juno Dawson, Inua Ellams, Pete McTighe, and Sharma Angel-Walfall – the new writers joining the series for its second season:

Juno Dawson is a #1 Sunday Times best-selling novelist, screenwriter, and journalist whose books include the global bestsellers This Book is Gay and Her Majesty's Royal Coven. Her debut short film was The Birth of Venus, and she created the first official Doctor Who scripted podcast, Doctor Who: Redacted. "I started watching 'Doctor Who' with my grandma when I was ten-years-old in the 1990s. From writing fan fiction for an audience of one to scripting the best TV show of all time is truly a dream come true. I can't wait for fans and newcomers to see the new season," Dawson shared.

Inua Ellams is a writer and curator whose published books of poetry include Candy Coated Unicorns & Converse All Stars and The Actual. His first play, The 14th Tale, was awarded a Fringe First at the Edinburgh International Theatre Festival. Other plays include Barber Shop Chronicles, which played at the National Theatre, Three Sisters, and The Half-God of Rainfall. "For as long as I can remember television, I've been a 'Doctor Who' fan. I started watching when I was 10 in Nigeria. The show invited me to dream, to live beyond my reality. Getting to write for the show felt like touching God; it was blasphemously humbling and exciting, and I can't wait to share my story with the world," Ellams shared.

Pete McTighe is a writer and executive producer on the forthcoming spin-off The War Between The Land And The Sea. He has created, written, or executive-produced dramas, including The Pact (BBC), The Rising (Sky), A Discovery Of Witches (HBO), and Wentworth (Fox). "The TARDIS is my home away from home, so it's been a joy to step back inside, with Russell at the console and the incredible team at Bad Wolf hanging on for dear life. I love this show with all my heart, and am really proud of what we've been able to achieve with my next episode," McTighe shared.

Sharma Angel-Walfall originally hails from Manchester and won the inaugural Channel 4 New Writing Award that set her off on her screenwriting journey. She has been in a number of writers' rooms, including Rapman's Supacell (Netflix), Sally Wainwright's The Ballad of Renegade Nell (Disney+), A Town Called Malice (Sky), and Noughts & Crosses (BBC). She was a writing consultant on Paul Abbott's Wolfe (Sky) and wrote an episode of Sharon Hogan's Dreamland for Sky (starring Lilly Allen and Freema Agyeman). "I am buzzing to be a part of such an iconic show! I am a massive Russell T Davies fan, so it is a dream come true to be able to work alongside him, especially on a show that I love. It's a real privilege to be a part of the 'Doctor Who' family. I have loved every minute!" Angel-Walfall shared.

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