The next full series of Doctor Who might still be a long way away, but work has already begun on the upcoming episodes – and of course, that means the team behind the show have already started to drop frustratingly ambiguous hints about what we can expect in 2020.


Speaking at a special screening of New Year’s Day special Resolution, series showrunner Chris Chibnall suggested a few intriguing tidbits might turn up when Doctor Who returns, starting with a new storyline for one slightly neglected character…

“That's a really good question,” Chibnall told a young audience member when they asked about the future of series companion Yaz (Mandip Gill), and whether she’d ever return to her position on the Sheffield police force.


“I think that some of these questions may be answered in the forthcoming season.”

After his comments prompted excitement from the audience, he laughed: “I think that’s the first teaser of the series! Really good question.”

During the recent series many fans felt Yaz was a fairly underserved character compared to fellow companions Ryan (Tosin Cole) and Graham (Bradley Walsh), so it could be that Chibnall intends to redress this balance in 2020.

On the other hand, as Mandip Gill herself pointed out, a longer look at Yaz’s police background could cause trouble for the show’s dynamic.

“If I get my job back, that means that I have to leave the Tardis!” she pointed out. Clearly, there could be more to this plotline than meets the eye…

Still, Yaz might not be the only familiar part of Doctor Who to be given a bigger role to play in the 2020 series anyway, as Chibnall went on to discuss.

You see, during the question and answer session the writer also suggested that his proscription on classic Doctor Who monsters could lift for the 2020 series, potentially allowing for popular foes like the Cybermen, Weeping Angels and Daleks to appear after Jodie Whittaker’s first set of episodes featured an entirely new cast of foes.

“Well, maybe we'll do some [classic monsters], then,” the writer said playfully after a young fan brought up their absence.

“I'll have a think.”

You heard it here first: the first two tiny teasers for series 12 are that we’ll have an episode dealing with Yaz’s police career, and some others that may or may not FINALLY bring back some classic baddies.

To be frank they’re pretty vague, unhelpful hints that give almost nothing away – so is it weird that they’re already making us incredibly excited?


This article was originally published in December 2018