Series 8 (Doctor Who)

Series 8 of Doctor Who, consisting of 12 episodes and a Christmas special, will air beginning on 23 August 2014. Filming began on 6 January 2014, and ended on 7 August of the same year. This will be the first full series to feature the Twelfth Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi; he will be joined by Jenna Coleman as Clara Oswald as primary companion throughout the entire run. Executive producer Steven Moffat revealed in DWM 469 that, unlike the previous two series, series 8 will be broadcast straight, with no series split halfway through it.

Cast
Series 8 will see the debut of Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor. Capaldi was announced in a live television special, Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor, on 4 August 2013. The previous Doctor, Matt Smith, announced he was leaving on 1 June of the same year.

The new Doctor will be joined by series 7, part 2's companion, Clara Oswald, as played by Jenna Coleman, in her first full series.

Samuel Anderson will join the cast as a new recurring character, Danny Pink, a fellow teacher at Coal Hill School.

The Paternoster Gang will also return, and will each use a sonic device designed in a Blue Peter competition in the series. Kate Stewart, Osgood and UNIT will also appear.

Recurring

 * The Twelfth Doctor - Peter Capaldi
 * Clara Oswald - Jenna Coleman
 * Danny Pink - Samuel Anderson
 * Vastra - Neve McIntosh
 * Jenny Flint - Catrin Stewart
 * Strax - Dan Starkey
 * Kate Stewart - Jemma Redgrave
 * Osgood - Ingrid Oliver

Guest

 * Inspector Gregson - Paul Hickey
 * Alf - Tony Way
 * Elsie - Maggie Service
 * Colonel Blue - Michael Smiley
 * TBA - Tom Riley
 * TBA - Robert Goodman
 * TBA - Jonathan Bailey
 * TBA - Pippa Bennett-Warner
 * Ms Delphox - Keeley Hawes
 * TBA - Ben Miller
 * TBA - Hermione Norris
 * TBA - Tony Osoba
 * TBA - Phil Nice
 * TBA - Frank Skinner
 * TBA - David Bamber
 * TBA - Daisy Beaumont
 * TBA - Janet Henfrey
 * TBA - Christopher Villiers
 * TBA - Foxes (Louisa Rose Allen)
 * TBA - Harley Bird
 * TBA - Abigail Eames
 * TBA - Ashley Foster
 * TBA - Jaydon Harris-Wallace
 * Gatekeeper of the Nethersphere - Michelle Gomez

Production
Brian Minchin, the new producer of the series, explained in the July 2013 issue of Doctor Who Magazine that "I have just spent a very happy few days meeting some scarily clever writers, and we have an incredible set of stories to work on. More adventures ahead!". In a May 2013 interview, Steven Moffat claimed that "the next season is plotted out."

The first readthrough for series 8 was held on 17 December 2013. This was an unusually long lead time, as actual filming for the first episodes of series 8 did not commence until 6 January 2014, with Capaldi filming his first scenes the next day. In a break from what was done with Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant and Matt Smith, the first episode filmed by Capaldi is also to be the first episode to be broadcast.

Producers
Series 8 will be co-executive produced by Steven Moffat and Brian Minchin. (DWM 460) Series 7's producer, Caroline Skinner, officially stepped down on 13 March 2013, and Minchin was announced as her replacement on 30 April.

Producer Marcus Wilson stepped down following production of The Time of the Doctor. His role will be filled by former producers Nikki Wilson and Peter Bennett.

Writers
Steven Moffat has penned both the series opener and episode 4 (DWM 471), Phil Ford wrote episode 2, Mark Gatiss did episode 3, (DWM 472)  Steve Thompson's script is for episode 5, (DWM 471) and Gareth Roberts wrote the the sixth episode of the series. (DWM 472)

Also writing for this series are Neil Cross, Jack Lothian, Peter Harness, Jamie Mathieson (DWM 473) and Frank Cottrell Boyce. Neil Gaiman has also expressed interest in returning, but stated in May 2013 that writing for Doctor Who simply doesn't pay well.

Directors
Ben Wheatley will direct the first two episodes of the series, while Paul Murphy will direct episodes 3 and 6. Douglas Mackinnon is set to direct two episodes of the series as well, as is Paul Wilmshurst. Sheree Folkson will direct an episode.

Rumours

 * Capaldi may face the Daleks this series.
 * On-set filming for the first episode seems to reveal that the Eleventh Doctor may phone Clara and the Twelfth Doctor.
 * The Doctor and Clara may return to the planet Sarn, last seen in TV: Planet of Fire.
 * The Master will return.