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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Doctor Who guru Davies steps down | Doctor Who guru Davies steps down |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Russell T Davies is to step down as executive producer of Doctor Who, the BBC has announced. | Russell T Davies is to step down as executive producer of Doctor Who, the BBC has announced. |
| Davies is credited with breathing new life into the show which he brought back to television screens in 2005. | Davies is credited with breathing new life into the show which he brought back to television screens in 2005. |
| Bafta-winning writer Steven Moffat will succeed Davies as lead writer and executive producer of the fifth series of Doctor Who. | Bafta-winning writer Steven Moffat will succeed Davies as lead writer and executive producer of the fifth series of Doctor Who. |
| Moffat said that the whole of his career had been "a secret plan to get this job". | Moffat said that the whole of his career had been "a secret plan to get this job". |
| DAVIES' CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Children's Ward (1993-1995) Touching Evil (1997)Queer As Folk (1999)Casanova (2005)Doctor Who (2005-2008)Torchwood (2006-2008) BBC Fiction controller Jane Tranter said the past four series of Doctor Who had been "brilliantly helmed" by the "spectacularly talented" Davies. | DAVIES' CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Children's Ward (1993-1995) Touching Evil (1997)Queer As Folk (1999)Casanova (2005)Doctor Who (2005-2008)Torchwood (2006-2008) BBC Fiction controller Jane Tranter said the past four series of Doctor Who had been "brilliantly helmed" by the "spectacularly talented" Davies. |
| "As lead writer and executive producer, he has overseen the creative direction and detail of the 21st century re-launch of Doctor Who and we are delighted to have his continued presence on the specials over the next 18 months," she added. | "As lead writer and executive producer, he has overseen the creative direction and detail of the 21st century re-launch of Doctor Who and we are delighted to have his continued presence on the specials over the next 18 months," she added. |
| Davies will remain in charge of four specials to be shown in 2009. | Davies will remain in charge of four specials to be shown in 2009. |
| The fifth series, with Moffat at the helm, is scheduled to be broadcast on BBC One in Spring 2010. | The fifth series, with Moffat at the helm, is scheduled to be broadcast on BBC One in Spring 2010. |
| Moffat has already written some of the most memorable Doctor Who episodes of recent times, including The Girl in the Fireplace and The Empty Child. | Moffat has already written some of the most memorable Doctor Who episodes of recent times, including The Girl in the Fireplace and The Empty Child. |
| I applied before but I got knocked back 'cos the BBC wanted someone else. Also I was seven Steven Moffat | I applied before but I got knocked back 'cos the BBC wanted someone else. Also I was seven Steven Moffat |
| Earlier this month, he picked up the best writer Bafta for the Blink episode of series three which featured terrifying weeping angels. | Earlier this month, he picked up the best writer Bafta for the Blink episode of series three which featured terrifying weeping angels. |
| Moffat said: "I applied before but I got knocked back 'cos the BBC wanted someone else. Also I was seven. | Moffat said: "I applied before but I got knocked back 'cos the BBC wanted someone else. Also I was seven. |
| "Anyway, I'm glad the BBC has finally seen the light and it's a huge honour to be following Russell into the best - and the toughest - job in television. | "Anyway, I'm glad the BBC has finally seen the light and it's a huge honour to be following Russell into the best - and the toughest - job in television. |
| "I say toughest 'cos Russell's at my window right now, pointing and laughing." | "I say toughest 'cos Russell's at my window right now, pointing and laughing." |
| Doctor Who's return after a 16-year break from the screen received praise from critics and fans alike. | Doctor Who's return after a 16-year break from the screen received praise from critics and fans alike. |
| Billie Piper and Christopher Eccleston starred in series one of the revamp | Billie Piper and Christopher Eccleston starred in series one of the revamp |
| Speaking after the first series of the revamped show in 2005 - which starred Christopher Eccleston as the Time Lord - Davies said Doctor Who had been in desperate need of regeneration. | Speaking after the first series of the revamped show in 2005 - which starred Christopher Eccleston as the Time Lord - Davies said Doctor Who had been in desperate need of regeneration. |
| "I love Doctor Who and I love the old Doctor Who," he said. | "I love Doctor Who and I love the old Doctor Who," he said. |
| "But, even with all that love, you have to admit that the name of the programme had become a joke and its reputation had become a cheap joke at that - you know, rubber monsters and shaky sets." | "But, even with all that love, you have to admit that the name of the programme had become a joke and its reputation had become a cheap joke at that - you know, rubber monsters and shaky sets." |
| He added: "It's been everything we planned and more, and it's very rarely in life you get the chance to have that happen." | He added: "It's been everything we planned and more, and it's very rarely in life you get the chance to have that happen." |
| The programme, complete with time machine the Tardis, originally ran from 1963 to 1989. | |
| In that time, the lead role was played by eight different actors with writers taken advantage of the Doctor's ability to regenerate his body. | |
| Eccleston and current Time Lord David Tennant take that number to 10. |