With the Thirteenth Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker, and her friends well on their way to landing back on our screens, the next series is set to welcome an exciting host of new directors and both new and returning writers.

Three new writers have jumped on board the TARDIS for series 12: Nina Metivier, Maxine Alderton and Charlene James.

Also making their debut in 2020 and joining ‘the fam’, are four new directors ready to travel through space and time: Nida Manzoor, Emma Sullivan, Jamie Magnus Stone and Lee Haven Jones.

In addition, three writers return from series 11: Vinay Patel (Demons Of The Punjab), Ed Hime (It Takes You Away), and Pete McTighe (Kerblam!)

Chris Chibnall, Showrunner, says: "We’re thrilled that Doctor Who continues to attract some of the most the most exciting and dynamic talent working in television. Along with our returning faces, we’re excited to welcome new members to the Doctor Who family. The Doctor Who team is crammed with British television’s brightest writers and directors: We’ve adored working with them, and can’t wait to show you the explosive stuff they’ve created!”

Jodie Whittaker returns as the Thirteenth Doctor in early 2020 when Doctor Who makes an explosive return to screens for another action-packed series of thrilling adventures. Mandip Gill, Bradley Walsh and Tosin Cole will all be reprising their roles alongside an exciting host of soon to be announced guest artists.

Directors
After graduating from the National Film and Television School, Emma Sullivan was named one of Screen International’s Stars of Tomorrow. Her short film, After Tomorrow, was also nominated for a Palme d’Or at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival, and won Best Short Film at the Edinburgh Film Festival in 2009. She has also directed for the critically acclaimed dramas Call The Midwife and Silent Witness.

Nida Manzoor was named one of Broadcast Magazine’s Hot Shots back in 2015. Since then, she has gone on to direct the BBC comedy-drama Enterprice and has recently received an RTS nomination for her work. Nida is also currently writing and directing an original music comedy series for Channel 4 called Lady Parts.

Jamie Magnus Stone is a film director and animator who graduated from the National Film and Television School. Jamie created and directed the Bafta-nominated short Orbit Ever After and other recent work includes Tripped and The Last Dragon Slayer.

After studying at RADA, Lee Haven Jones has gone on to direct multiple episodes of hit dramas including The Bay, Vera and Shetland. Lee has won two Welsh Baftas for his work as a Director and his first feature film, Gwledd/Feast, will premier later in 2020.

Writers
Nina Metivier is the co-creator and co-writer of teen thriller series The A List (BBC/Netflix), and produced and wrote on the Bafta-winning TV series Dixi.

Maxine Alderton has written for CBBC's The Worst Witch and ITV’s long running series Emmerdale, winning a Yorkshire RTS award for Best Writer for a special standalone episode about dementia, and has been nominated for a Writers' Guild award twice.

Charlene James has previously written for the television show A Discovery Of Witches as well the award-winning theatre play, Cuttin’ It.

Pete McTighe is the originating writer of Wentworth, the female prison drama that screens worldwide on Netflix, and is currently Executive Producing and writing season two of A Discovery Of Witches for Sky/AMC/BadWolf.

Ed Hime was nominated for a Craft Bafta for his first episode of Skins, and won the Prix Italia for his radio play The Incomplete Recorded Works Of A Dead Body.
Vinay Patel’s television debut, Murdered By My Father, won the 2016 Royal Television Society Award for Best Single Drama and was nominated for three Baftas.