Steven Moffat thought he had got new Doctor Who so wrong, he threw his script away

Doctor Who
(Image credit: BBC)

Steven Moffat has revealed that he had to throw an early draft of a Doctor Who script away ahead of his return to the sci-fi series.

Moffat, who was showrunner on Doctor Who from 2010 to 2017, is back on writing duties for episode 3 titled ‘Boom’ this week (which happens to be the Doctor actor Ncuti Gatwa's favorite episode of this season), and has reflected on returning to the show – including the painful creative process in getting there.

"It was quite a long time ago, around two and a half years. I just started tentatively writing and got about twelve to fifteen pages in, and realized I had got it completely wrong," Moffat told the BBC. 

"I started the story in the wrong place, on the wrong foot, so to speak. So I threw that away and started again."

Moffat continued, "I don’t think I had even told the production office that I had started writing, so when I sent it to just [showrunner Russell T Davies] he was quite surprised – he didn’t know I had been working on it."

Aside from his stint as showrunner, Moffat is perhaps best known in the Whoniverse – yes, we’re using that name now – as the creator of the Weeping Angels in the classic 2007 episode ‘Blink’.

Judging by the trailer at the end of ‘The Devil’s Chord’, we can perhaps expect another explosive instalment from the writer – as Gatwa’s Doctor finds himself stepping on a landmine-of-sorts and must save the day without moving a muscle.

The synopsis reads: "Caught in the middle of a devastating war on Kastarion 3, the Doctor is trapped when he steps on a landmine. Can he save himself and Ruby, plus the entire planet…without moving."

Doctor Who is streaming weekly on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK and Disney Plus in the US. For more, check out the Doctor Who release schedule.

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.

Read more
Anita holding folded towels
Doctor Who writer shuts down theory that fan-favorite character could return: "All great things in Doctor Who are the result of a budget cut"
Ncuti Gatwa in Doctor Who season 2
Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies says "there's conversations" about who could eventually replace him: "I won't go back a third time"
Ncuti Gatwa in Doctor Who
Doctor Who season 2 release date appears to have been announced via an online advert - and it’s sooner than expected
Doctor Who
Doctor Who season 2: Release date, cast, and everything we know about Ncuti Gatwa’s next season
Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) and Daredevil/Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) in Daredevil Born Again
Daredevil: Born Again showrunner and star Charlie Cox address why they rehauled the Marvel show: "It wasn't in line with what Daredevil had been established to be"
Ncuti Gatwa in Doctor Who season 2
Doctor Who fans think they've spotted a tease for surprise villains in new season 2 trailer
Latest in Sci-Fi Shows
Bella Ramsey as Ellie and Pedro Pascal as Joel in The Last of Us
The Last of Us showrunner Craig Mazin praises Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal for "spectacular" take on one of Part 2's most iconic scenes in season 2
Pedro Pascal as Joel in The Last of Us
Pedro Pascal opens up about his "unhealthy mindset" going into The Last of Us season 2: "I kind of feel their pain"
Ben Mendelsohn in Andor season 2
Andor season 2 could be about to turn one of the darkest events in Star Wars even darker
The Death Star in the Andor season 2 trailer
New Andor season 2 trailer is an intense new look at the returning Star Wars show that sees the Rebels discover the Death Star
Severance
Severance star reveals the one finale moment that you may not have realized is "essential" for what comes next in season 3
Xenomorph in Alien: Earth
New Alien: Earth clip shows the last of another expendable crew
Latest in News
Red Dead Redemption screenshot of protagonist John Marston aiming a pistol
Ex GTA 6 dev says free and live service games are "eating everyone's time," and combined with "open world fatigue," it's getting harder to make players explore
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom
My Hero Academia and Gundam animator explains the issues behind anime shows getting shorter: "There is a shortage of professional staff in all sections"
Saw X
Billy the Puppet gives Saw fans some hope on the future of the horror franchise by updating his LinkedIn profile to "employed"
Bella Ramsey as Ellie and Pedro Pascal as Joel in The Last of Us
The Last of Us showrunner Craig Mazin praises Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal for "spectacular" take on one of Part 2's most iconic scenes in season 2
25 years after Malcolm in the Middle first aired, the revival series starts filming in just "a few days" – and Frankie Muniz is rewatching the original to prepare
"I didn’t have a single ally": Tekken 4's negative reception put series boss Katsuhiro Harada under so much stress that he left Namco for a year