Do we now know Jodie Whitaker’s final episode runtime?
Although most of the talk in the Doctor Who world in the last week has been about Ncuti Gatwa who was revealed by the BBC as the 14th incarnation of the Timelord by the BBC, there is still the small matter of Jodie Whittaker’s final episode to navigate before we see Gatwa take control of the TARDIS. And although we know that the feature-length episode, which will also be the last one with showrunner Chris Chibnall at the helm, will see the return of some old companions as well as some of the Doctor’s most persistent foes, we don’t know much more about what to expect.
However, speaking on the BAFTA TV Awards red carpet on Sunday afternoon, incoming showrunner Russell T Davies, who is returning to the show after more than a decade away, has hinted at a few more facts than we already knew.
“She [Jodie Whittaker] has got an enormous finale, an epic finale, a 90-minute finale in October,” he told the Sun Showbiz in a video.
This appears to confirm the length of the episode, which will form part of the BBC’s centenary celebrations, at 90 minutes which until now has been referred to simply as ‘feature-length’. It also narrows the timing of the episode down to the month of October, which makes sense as the actual 100th anniversary of the BBC is on 18th of October 2022. It is still not clear exactly what day the episode will be aired, but assuming it will be on a weekend it is likely to be either the Saturday before, the 15th October, or the Saturday after, the 22nd October. Of course it may not be on a weekend, so the day still remains unknown.
- The best Doctor Who episodes of all time
- Try our Doctor Who quiz questions and answers
- Can you beat the David Tennant Doctor Who quiz?
Davies also said that although there was lots of exciting Doctor Who news on its way, there may be a bit of a wait for fans to get more subnational information about the Gatwa era until after this episode has aired.
“We’re polite gentlemen,” Davies added. “It’s only right and fair to shut up. [In] 2023, you’ll be fed up with us. We’ll be everywhere. But until then, we bow to Jodie – we love her, and step back.”
- Love Doctor Who? Get all the latest Doctor Who news and views from Screen OD
- Looking for some entertainment? Have you tried our general knowledge quiz questions and answers yet? Or browse all the Screen OD quizzes.
- 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...
