Former Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat has confirmed he will not be returning to contribute to the show in season 15, confirming what his last episode of the show is going to be. Moffat was showrunner for the series from season 5 until season 10, having spearheaded the runs for the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) and Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi). He was previously confirmed to be returning as a writer in season 14, helping usher in a new era of the show starring Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor.

Speaking with TV Choice Magazine, however, Moffat revealed that he will not be coming back to write for Doctor Who season 15. The former showrunner explained that his final contributions to the series will be season 14, episode 3, titled “Boom” and the 2024 Christmas special “Joy to the World.” He also indicated that, unlike his exit as showrunner, this would truly be the end of his time working on the series. Check out what Moffat had to say below:

Well, that’s the thing. It is entirely possible that I won’t write Doctor Who again. I don’t know. I mean, after Christmas, I’m not lying. I’m not involved in series two. My contribution, in effect, is the Christmas special. I’ve got quite a lot of things that are coming in for me to do, so I might never write Doctor Who again. What I feel slightly sad about is, even if I do another one, I probably won’t know when I’ve done my last one. I thought I knew how the story ended. I thought I knew how that chapter of my life expired. I thought it ended with Twice Upon A Time [2017] – which I didn’t love. I thought it was OK…

I think it’s soft in the middle. The ending is good. But anyway, I remember thinking, ‘Well, at least I know how it ends.’ And now I don’t. I mean, I’m not against doing another one at all, but I don’t have any tremendous visceral need to do another one. As I got to the end of Boom, and as I got to the end of Joy To The World [his upcoming Christmas special], I did think, ‘Is that it? Is that the final moment?’ I think they both have quite good final moments for the Doctor. I was thinking, ‘Yeah, that could be goodbye.’

Why Steven Moffat’s Doctor Who History Is So Important

Prior to his time as showrunner, Moffat was a regular writer on the series, having penned episodes since season 1 of the revival. These include memorable episodes within the Eleventh and Twelfth Doctor’s runs, such as “The Eleventh Hour,” “The Time of the Doctor,” “Listen,” and “Twice Upon a Time.” While he did not return to write stories about the Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker), the contributions he made during his time on the show helped define expectations for what the series should be like.

Since Doctor Who season 14 will feature two episodes written by the former showrunner, it’s clear the energy of those older seasons will be coming back in an important way. However, they will also be bittersweet, given they’ll be the last ones he writes for the show. Moffat’s episodes are often major adventures for the Doctor, meaning both season 14, episode 3 and the upcoming Christmas special could be some of the largest episodes in Gatwa’s initial season.

While there’s no telling what will happen in the upcoming episodes Moffat contributes to, his history with the series means they might be some of the most memorable for season 14. These episodes could include some important details about the Fifteeenth Doctor, giving additional context to the series that helps establish him for future seasons. Although Doctor Who‘s former showrunner won’t be joining the series for season 15 and beyond, his upcoming episodes will no doubt cement him as an important part of the show’s legacy.

Source: TV Choice Magazine