Doctor Who Flux almost didn’t get made at all
Doctor Who Flux almost didn’t get made due to the global pandemic, former showrunner Chris Chibnall has revealed.
The final series of Jodie Whittaker’s era in the TARDIS was apparently so close to being cancelled that there “there was an hour on one day when it’s like, it was done” Chibnall, who was in charge of the BBC show between 2017 and 2022 has said.
Speaking in an interview with the Radio Free Skaro podcast Chibnall admitted that the global COVID pandemic had meant that “there was a week where it was not going to be made. There was a week where I’d been offered another job.”
Added Chibnall: “And because the BBC was just like — the BBC studios — ‘Where’s the money coming from? How are we going to do this? Is it too difficult?’
“And it literally went down to the wire of there was an hour on one day when it’s like, it was done. And yeah… there are certain things I had to do to get that season made. Because they couldn’t find a way to do it.
“And so yes, yes, there absolutely was [doubts], and it was like, ‘Okay, we might have to be going. Okay, so Revolution, the Daleks. That’s it.'”
However, despite the show almost never happening, Chibnall praised the Thirteenth Doctor star Jodie Whittaker for making sure it was possible.
“Because it had moved in the schedule, she had stuff lined up for when we were supposed to finish shooting, but then was delayed by the pandemic,” He said.
Adding: “And you know, she’s in demand, and so she sacrificed a lot. Everybody sacrificed a lot… But yeah, we did have those moments. Yeah, completely. And there was, yeah, there’s some things I’ll just keep to myself.”
In the same interview, Chibnall also spoke about how the new BBC and Disney deal would allow the show to do things like spin-offs that he would have been interested in pursuing had the budget been there.
In the end, the final episode of the Jodie Whittaker and Chris Chibnall era was The Power of the Doctor which broadcast in October 2022 and saw a host of former Doctors and companions return to the show.
Doctor Who is dues to return to screens in November 2023 for three special episodes penned by new showrunner Russell T Davies and starring David Tennant, Catherin Tate as Donna Noble, Yasmin Finney as Rose and Neil Patrick Harris as an unnamed enemy.
Ncuti Gatwa will start his journey as the Fifteenth Doctor opposite his companion Ruby Sunday played by Millie Gibson around Christmas 2023 with the rest of season 14 playing out across 2024.
- Looking for some entertainment? Have you tried our general knowledge quiz questions and answers yet?
- Want to supercharge your streaming? Take a look at our guide to Netflix secret codes for TV and movie fans
- Love TV and movies? Try Screen OD on YouTube...
