Series 9 (Doctor Who)

Series 9 of Doctor Who began filming on 5 January 2015, for an airdate on 19th 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.

Series 8 episodes Dark Water and Death in Heaven was shown in cinemas in 3D as a two-night event on the 15th and 16th September as a run-up to prepare for Series 9. A prequel scene to this series was shown at the end of this event. This screening was only shown in Russia, Canada, America and Denmark. The special prequel is called The Doctor's Meditation.

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. Episode 10 will see the Doctor wearing a red velvet jacket. This series the Doctor will be changing his sonic screwdriver for some cool new sonic sunglasses. Last time the Doctor ditched the screwdriver was in his fifth incarnation.

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. It has been announced that "The Magician's Apprentice" will premiere at the Filmhouse Cinema in Edinburgh on 27 August. The screening is a part of the Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival.

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 and 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, the 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.

There will be a special story which features only old phone and camcorder footage showing the Time Lord's followers filming their attempts to fight a monster. Executive producer Brian Minchin said about the episode: "We're considering not even having opening titles and just running the footage."

Peter Harness has revealed that his two-part story (Episode 7 & 8), featuring UNIT and the Zygons, will have the key theme "consequences" and will be a sequel to the 50th anniversary special The Day of the Doctor.

For the first time in the show, there will also be an episode which features only the Doctor for the entire episode. About the episode Minchin said: "Doctor Who has always been about taking risks. It's never sat down and done a normal episode. It's always done something extraordinary. Our audience likes to be challenged."

The TARDIS have upgraded its console room with circle-lit roundels.

Peter Capaldi has stated that "I think the Doctor has realised that, even at two and a half thousand years of age, life is short. And he's in a great position and he should enjoy it. But, at the same time, there's something stalking him that will make life less pleasant for him." He also claimed that there would be a monster that would "make you think carefully about regeneration", and that the series will feature "a couple" of monsters from the original series' run.

Moffat has stated in the new issue of Doctor Who Magazine that the opener of series 9 will be a movie-sized story, or as he calls it, "a blockbuster".

Capaldi has suggested that the series will not end happily. Rumours have already been rife on the internet about whether he or Jenna Coleman will be around for next year’s series. He said: "The Doctor and Clara are excited about the idea of having adventures this series, but that’s a dangerous thing to do. They can't have a good time for too long. They have to pay for it. The Doctor has a profound knowledge of the past and future and he knows how things will come off in the end. “He is aware darkness will fall."

Recurring

 * The Twelfth Doctor - Peter Capaldi
 * Clara Oswald - Jenna Coleman
 * Danny Pink - Samuel Anderson
 * Santa Claus - Nick Frost
 * Ohila - Clare Higgins
 * - 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
 * Shadow Architect - Kelly Hunter
 * Jac - Jaye Griffiths
 * Bors - Daniel Hoffmann-Gill
 * Colony Sarff - Jami Reid-Quarrell
 * Mr. Dunlop - Aaron Neil
 * Alison - India Ria Amarteifio
 * Boy - Joey Price
 * Ryan - Dasharn Anderson
 * Mike Jameson - Harki Bhambra
 * Schoolgirl - 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
 * Lucie Fanshawe - Elisabeth Hopper
 * Mr. Fanshawe - John Voce
 * Clayton - Struan Rodger
 * Baxter - Daniel Fearn
 * Odin - David Schofield
 * "Chinese Newsreader" - Shin-Fei Chen
 * Newsreader - Stefan Adegbola
 * Newsreader - Lucy Newman-Williams
 * "Viking Villager" - Alec James
 * "Medieval Peasant" - Julie Hendy
 * "Coachman" - Gareth Berliner
 * TBA - Cleopatra Dickens
 * TBA - Sasha Dickens
 * TBA - Abhishek Singh
 * Hitchley - Todd Kramer
 * TBA - Jill Winternitz
 * TBA - Nicholas Asbury
 * TBA - Jack Parker
 * TBA - Aidan Cook
 * Soldier - Jonathon Ojinnaka
 * TBA - Rebecca Front
 * Kanzo - Benjamin Cawley
 * Azi Kashani - Shanaya Rafaat
 * "Chronolock Guy" - Robin Soans
 * Meg - Karen Seacombe
 * "Police officer" - Ben Nash
 * Jen - Naomi Ackie
 * Habbrian - Caroline Boulton
 * Kabel - Simon Manyonda
 * Alien Woman - Angela Clerkin
 * Elderly Woman - Jenny Lee
 * TBA - Reece Shearsmith
 * Nagata - Elaine Tan
 * TBA - Neet Mohan
 * TBA - Bethany Black
 * Deep-Ando - Paul Courtenay Hyu

Villains/Aliens

 * Daleks (all designs)
 * Zygons
 * The Mire
 * Handmines
 * Colony Sarff
 * Ghosts
 * Sandmen
 * Weeping Angels
 * Cybermen
 * Hath
 * Judoon
 * Judoon

Rumours

 * It is rumoured that creator of the Daleks, Davros, will 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.
 * In the same episodes Missy is rumoured to enlist the help from Clara to help the Doctor.
 * It is rumoured that two Osgoods appear in Episodes 7 and 8.
 * It is rumoured that Episode 11 will be the episode to feature the Twelfth Doctor's discovery of the reason behind his appearance.
 * Clara Oswald, as portrayed by Jenna Coleman, is rumoured to depart the show at the end of the series.
 * The Doctor is rumoured to meet Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn.
 * Peter Capaldi has hinted at a return for Missy in this series finale.
 * Peter Capaldi further hinted on the return of former character Lobus Caecilius from Series 4 episode The Fires of Pompeii.
 * Peter Capaldi also hinted at his Doctor's debut scene in The Day of the Doctor being revisited in this series.
 * Michelle Gomez has claimed that the location seen in the scene where she made her debut as Missy in Deep Breath, previously seen in The Girl Who Waited, may return this series, and that its recurring appearance is possibly more than "coincidence".
 * The presence of both David Tennant and Russell T Davies in Cardiff during filming has given rise to speculation on their involvement in the series.
 * One site has also rumoured the presence of Paul McGann at the filming of "Doctor Who" and a "degeneration"-scene has been rumoured, which is a flashback back to previous Doctors.