The BBC Sets Jodie Whittaker's Final Turn As The Doctor

When the BBC announced showrunner Chris Chibnall and star Jodie Whittaker would be moving on from Doctor Who after three seasons, there was a question of when exactly Whittaker's tenure would end. Of the Doctors in the modern reboot, only Christopher Eccleston exited in a regular-season finale episode at the end of Season 1. David Tennant departed at the end of a two-part special that was the capstone of a year's worth of special installments after the fourth season; Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi left as part of Christmas specials. With an already foreshortened season in 2021 and showrunner Russell Davies not taking over until 2023, would Whittaker exit in a New Years' special, or something else?

The question was also driven by 2022 being the centenary of the British Broadcasting Company, which started with radio in 1922. It seemed deeply unlikely that there would be zero Doctor Who episodes during the centenary period. The series is one of the longest-running programs in history. For lack of a better word, it is the flagship series of the current BBC alongside the popular but far more recent reality series Strictly Come Dancing. (The two air currently air back to back on Sundays.) Surely there must at least be a special of some sort?

The BBC has now confirmed that there will be a special as part of the centenary celebrations and that it will be Whittaker's last outing with the sonic screwdriver. In a statement posted across social media, the announcement read: