Here’s a date for your diary. The BBC have today confirmed that Saturday 30th March will see the return of Doctor Who for the start of the eight-episode run which will conclude the seventh season which started last autumn.

The new run of the show, starring Matt Smith as the Doctor and (eventually) Jenna-Louise Coleman as new companion Clara Oswin, will include scripts by show runner Steven Moffat, series regular Mark Gatiss (who has contributed two new episodes), Neil Cross (creator of BBC TV’s hard-hitting detective drama Luther), Steven Thompson and with a return engagement for Neil Gaiman who scripted the acclaimed 2011 episode ‘The Doctor’s Wife’ and has this time turned his attentions to sprucing up the reputation of the iconic Cybermen who have been subtly redesigned for their first appearance in Doctor Who since ‘Closing Time’ in 2011.

Guest cast across the episodes include Dame Diana Rigg, Dougray Scott, Ashley Walters, Warwick Davis, Tamzin Ouththwaite, Rachael Stirling, David Warner and Jessica Raine. No episode titles have been confirmed as yet but rumoured titles include ‘Phantoms of the Hex’, ‘The Crimson Horror’ and ‘Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS.’ Steven Moffat’s season finale will feature a ‘guest’ appearance from… someone.

Filming is due to begin in April for the sixty-minute top secret 50th anniversary special to transmit in November.

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