Series 9 (Doctor Who)

Series 9 of Doctor Who began filming on 5 January 2015, for an airdate in September, 2015. The regular series will consist of 12 episodes. This will be Peter Capaldi's second series as the Twelfth Doctor and Jenna Coleman's third series (second full series) as Clara Oswald, making her the longest running companion of the BBC Wales series to date.

This series will see Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor wearing a new outfit; the Doctor will be wearing a dark blue hoodie over a black jumper (similar to Last Christmas) and a pair of plaid trousers. However, the coat and shoes will remain from the previous series. Although Episode 10 will see the Doctor wearing a red velvet jacket.

Toby Whithouse returns for series 9, having written episodes 3 and 4, which Steven Moffat describes as "a brilliantly creepy two-parter". New to Doctor Who, but not the DWU, this series will be Catherine Tregenna — the Torchwood writer will be penning an episode of the series. Tregenna will be the first female Who writer since Helen Raynor's two-parter in series 4. Sarah Dollard will be the third female writer since 2005 and second under Steven Moffat, penning the tenth episode of the ninth series. It will be the first time more than one woman has written for the show in the same season or series.

In DWM 480, Michelle Gomez confirmed that she will return in series 9 as, the latest incarnation of the Master who served as the central villain in series 8. Moffat teased in DWM 475, "I've figured out the cliffhanger to the penultimate episode of [series 9]. And it's a whopper. Ohh, I don’t think you'll see this coming!" On 19 February 2015, it was announced Gomez will return for the opening episode.

On 17 December 2014, at a press conference for the Christmas special Last Christmas, Steven Moffat revealed the title of the first episode of the regular series to be The Magician's Apprentice. The title was additionally revealed on-screen, at the end of Last Christmas. The second episode is titled The Witch’s Familiar.

Prior to the airing of Last Christmas, there had been speculation about whether Jenna Coleman would stay on the show, but, after speaking at a press launch for the Christmas special at London's BFI in December, Jenna revealed: "It's wonderful – I've got another series of stories with the Doctor." She added, "I couldn't walk away with the story being unresolved and there's so much more to do – I think they've finally just reached a point where they really understand each other!" and executive producer Steven Moffat confirmed this: "Jenna is obviously in all of the next series. There was a certain amount of toing and froing, wasn't there, Jenna? It occurred to us all that we don't start filming until January, so we could keep it a proper secret." Jenna also hinted at what to expect in series 9: "Just when Clara was feeling more comfortable in the relationship, it's thrown something totally new up."

Hettie MacDonald will direct the two-part series opener, making her the only woman to direct a series opener following Doctor Who's return to television in 2005 and one of only four women to direct Doctor Who television openers in the show's history. The last was Fiona Cumming in 1982. MacDonald has not directed an episode since Blink. Also joining series 9's direction team is Daniel O'Hara, whose online CV reports he is directing two 60-minute episodes for the show.

Regular writer Mark Gatiss will also be writing an episode, and according to him it's going to be scary. He said, in an interview with the Telegraph, that "I'm in the midst of that right now – I broke off to come here today, in fact, but I'm hoping to finish the script tonight,” and added, “It has been a tough nut to crack, but I'm delighted with how scary it is. I can't say any more than that."

On Monday the 30th of March BBC revealed the title of two episodes; Jamie Mathieson & Steven Moffat's The Girl Who Died and Catherine Tregenna's The Woman Who Lived. The two episodes were revealed to be more of a linked story rather than a conventional two-parter, due to it being set in two time periods, Viking era and 17th century, respectively.

A question that had been brought up in Series 8 opener Deep Breath was the Doctor's newest face and where he had seen it before. In DWM 486 Steven Moffat confirmed that the truth will be discovered.

Recurring

 * The Twelfth Doctor - Peter Capaldi
 * Clara Oswald - Jenna Coleman
 * - Michelle Gomez
 * Kate Stewart - Jemma Redgrave
 * Osgood - Ingrid Oliver
 * Rigsy - Joivan Wade

Guest

 * Cass - Sophie Stone
 * Moran - Colin McFarlane
 * Prentis - Paul Kaye
 * O'Donnell - Morven Christie
 * Mason Bennett - Arsher Ali
 * Lunn - Zaqi Ismail
 * Pritchard - Steven Robertson
 * (The) Fisher King - Neil Fingleton
 * TBA - Kelly Hunter
 * TBA - Clare Higgins
 * TBA - Jaye Griffiths
 * Bors - Daniel Hoffmann-Gill
 * TBA - Jami Reid-Quarrell
 * Mr. Dunlop - Aaron Neil
 * TBA - India Ria Amarteifio
 * TBA - Joey Price
 * Ryan - Dasharn Anderson
 * Mike Jameson - Harki Bhambra
 * TBA - Demi Papaminas
 * TBA - Maisie Williams
 * Sam Swift - Rufus Hound
 * TBA - Tom Stourton
 * Leandro - Ariyon Bakare
 * TBA - Simon Lipkin
 * Chuckles - Ian Conningham
 * Hasten - Murray McArthur
 * TBA - Barnaby Kay
 * Mr. Fanshawe - John Voce
 * Clayton - Struan Rodger
 * Baxter - Daniel Fearn
 * Odin - David Schofield
 * TBA - Cleopatra Dickens
 * TBA - Sasha Dickens
 * TBA - Abhishek Singh
 * TBA - Todd Kramer
 * TBA - Jill Winternitz
 * TBA - Nicholas Asbury
 * TBA - Jack Parker
 * TBA - Aidan Cook
 * "Soldier" - Jonathon Ojinnaka
 * TBA - Rebecca Front
 * Azi Kashani - Shanaya Rafaat
 * "Chronolock Guy" - Robin Soans

Trivia

 * Originally cast in the role as Odin was Brian Blessed who portrayed King Yrcanos in a part of the 80s story The Trial of a Time Lord, but had to pull back due to illness.

Rumours

 * The working title for the first episode to be filmed is rumoured to be Written in the Stars.
 * The episodes The Girl Who Died and The Woman Who Lived are rumoured to be one two-part story.
 * Maisie Williams has claimed that there's a 50/50 chance that she will play a younger Clara.
 * It is rumoured that creator of the Daleks, Davros will make a return in the two-part series opener, albeit as a child. The plot is also rumoured to be based on a line spoken by the Fourth Doctor in the serial Genesis of the Daleks.