Former Doctor Who showrunner, Chris Chibnall, has admitted that he knew nothing about Russell T Davies’ plans after the latter took over — but that’s just the way Chibnall likes it.

When asked if he knew that Billie Piper would show up at the end of The Reality War, seemingly as the Sixteenth Doctor (though that hasn’t been confirmed yet), he replied:

“No! I didn’t have any clue when I was watching it. The only thing I knew was that Jodie [Whittaker, the Thirteenth Doctor] was in that episode. Because also, when I finished, I was very, very clear to Russell that I didn’t want to know anything.

“So I really, actually didn’t want to know that Jodie was going to regenerate into David. But they were like, ‘You have to know this because you’re an exec on this episode.’

“No, I didn’t know, and I love not knowing. I love being back as a viewer again, that’s really cool. And, no, I never ask and I never want to know. I want to watch it, because that’s the thing. That’s what takes you back to where you start as a five year old, or whatever, you’re there watching Doctor Who and to be back in that position, having had your own TARDIS, in inverted commas – I didn’t have a real TARDIS – but it’s lovely to then go back and go, ‘Oh, what’s happening now?'”

“Oh, what’s happening now?” is a fair assessment of current Doctor Who. And of course I meant that in a positive way. AHEM.

It’s an interesting one, mulling over whether former showrunners should know the direction of the future: in theory, there’s no reason they should, but also, once you’re “in” Who, then you’re part of a great legacy, so a lot of alumni are privy to further behind-the-scenes information.

Plus, of course, Davies and Chibnall are friends, so it would stand to reason that they chat about the show!

In fairness, however, if rumours are to be believed, Davies didn’t know Billie Piper would return until Series 15 began airing…