The full roster of writers and directors for Doctor Who Series 12 has been announced, and includes returning scribes alongside new faces. Chris Chibnall, as showrunner, will still write the lion’s share of episodes for the upcoming run, which will star Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, Mandip Gill as Yasmin Khan, Tosin Cole as Ryan Sinclair, and Bradley Walsh as Graham O’Brien.

Chris Chibnall says:

“We’re thrilled that Doctor Who continues to attract some of the most the most exciting and dynamic talent working in television. Along with our returning faces, we’re excited to welcome new members to the Doctor Who family. The Doctor Who team is crammed with British television’s brightest writers and directors: we’ve adored working with them, and can’t wait to show you the explosive stuff they’ve created!”

Doctor Who Series 12 Writers

Three new writers have contributed to the season:

• Maxine Alderton has been celebrated for her work on Emmerdale, winning a Yorkshire RTS award for Best Writer for a special standalone episode about dementia. She’s worked on the soap since 2013, and added The Worst Witch to her credits in 2017 and 2018.
• Nina Metivier isn’t entirely new to Doctor Who: she worked under Sheena Bucktowonsing as Script Editor on last year’s The Woman Who Fell to Earth and It Takes You Away. Nina is the co-creator and co-writer of teen thriller series, The A List, and produced and wrote on the BAFTA-winning TV series, Dixi.
• Charlene James is best-known for her acclaimed 2014 play, Cuttin’ It, about female genital mutilation. Her other stage shows include Tweete Tweet (about teenage suicide) and Bricks and Pieces (examining masculinity and the difficulties of growing up as a gay man in an African family).

There are also three writers, aside from Chibnall, returning from Series 11:

• Ed Hime (It Takes You Away);
• Pete McTighe (Kerblam!);
• Vinay Patel (Demons of the Punjab).

We don’t know running orders, or how many episodes each writer has worked on.

Doctor Who Series 12 Directors

We made previous educated guesses about directors, and fortunately, all were correct. They’re all new to Doctor Who:

• Lee Haven Jones has worked on The Bay, Vera, and Shetland, and has won two Welsh BAFTAs.
• Nida Manzoor was named one of Broadcast Magazine’s Hot Shots back in 2015. She is currently writing and directing an original music comedy series for Channel 4, Lady Parts.
• Jamie Magnus Stone, grandson of former Mastermind host, Magnus Magnusson, created and directed the BAFTA nominated short, Orbit Ever After. He also previously directed The Last Day, the prelude to The Day of the Doctor in 2013.
• Emma Sullivan graduated from the National Film and Television School, and went on to helm stories for the critically-acclaimed dramas, Call the Midwife and Silent Witness.

Again, the running order is yet to be confirmed, but the smart money’s on this chronology:

1. Jamie Stone
2. Jamie Stone
3. Lee Haven Jones
4. Lee Haven Jones
5. Jamie Stone
6. Nida Manzoor
7. Nida Manzoor
8. Emma Sullivan
9. Jamie Stone
10. Jamie Stone

It’s a bit bizarre that the BBC have proved reticent to show off Stone and Metivier’s established links with the show, but there we are.

Doctor Who Series 12 will debut in early 2020.