The 13th doctor is about to say goodbye.
Jodie Whittaker is leaving Doctor Who after three seasons, along with showrunner Chris Chibnall. Whittaker made headlines in 2017 when she was cast as the first ever female star of the long-running BBC sci-fi series, and has been traveling through time and space for two seasons since then. She’ll appear in one last run of episodes this fall, and then close out her run with two specials and a feature-length movie in 2022. Then, she’ll regenerate, and a new doctor will take her place.
This news has been a long time coming, as Chibnall explained in his statement on the exit.
“Jodie and I made a ‘three series and out’ pact with each other at the start of this once-in-a-lifetime blast. So now our shift is done, and we’re handing back the TARDIS keys,” he said. ”Jodie’s magnificent, iconic Doctor has exceeded all our high expectations. She’s been the gold standard leading actor, shouldering the responsibility of being the first female Doctor with style, strength, warmth, generosity and humour. She captured the public imagination and continues to inspire adoration around the world, as well as from everyone on the production. I can’t imagine working with a more inspiring Doctor—so I’m not going to!”