After Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat's well-received runs as Doctor Who showrunner, it was clear from the start that Chris Chibnall had big shoes to fill. He immediately brought a very different feel to the series, introducing new villains and the first female Doctor in Jodie Whitaker.
Every Doctor Who boss has brought their own bold ideas to the long-running sci-fi franchise (not all of which sat well with fans), but Chibnall made arguably the biggest changes yet. Not only did he introduce the controversial concept of the "Timeless Child," but stories revolving around The Master and the Flux also split opinions.
Of course, we'd be remiss not to point out that Chibnall also faced his fair share of challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic cancellation talks within the BBC.
Talking to BBC News (via SFFGazette.com), the former Doctor Who showrunner said he has "incredibly fond memories" of his time working on the series. "We had such a great time making it," he continued. "I'm so proud of the stories we told and the people we worked with, and of Jodie's Doctor and the companions and all the writers we brought in and the things we did with the show that were new."
As for how he feels to have seen the way his tenure split opinions, Chibnall added, "I really feel super-proud of it. We knew that going in. You don't cast the first female Doctor if you're thinking you're going to go in and just do the same as has been done before."
Davies has since returned to Doctor Who, bringing back David Tennant for the show's 60th anniversary before a shocking bi-generation which saw Ncuti Gatwa take over the role. His specials acknowledged Chibnall's run, albeit in a way that offered upset fans an "out" by suggesting The Toymaker had made a "jigsaw" out of the Doctor's past to play with his old foe.
"There was a week where it was not going to be made. There was a week where I’d been offered another job," Chibnall revealed last year. "And because the BBC was just like - the BBC studios - 'Where’s the money coming from? How are we going to do this? Is it too difficult?'"
"And it literally went down to the wire of there was an hour on one day when it’s like, it was done. And yeah...there are certain things I had to do to get that season made. Because they couldn’t find a way to do it," he explained. "And so yes, yes, there absolutely was [doubts], and it was like, 'Okay, we might have to be going. Okay, so Revolution, the Daleks. That's it.'"
Doctor Who will return to the BBC and Disney+ with new episodes this May.