Exec Producer Calls Chibnall Era Criticism “fickle”, Jodie will Be Looked Back on “with Huge Affection”

It’s no secret that the Chris Chibnall and Jodie Whittaker era has been met with mixed reactions, but departing executive producer Matt Strevens isn’t concerned about their legacy.

Speaking in Doctor Who Magazine (#574), he said: “I think [Chibnall’s] place in the canon, and the history of Doctor Who, is assured.

“It was Chris who wanted to bring in a female actor as the Doctor, that was one of his prime criteria for doing the show – at a time when we didn’t have Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, and all of that.

“That decision – back in 2015, 2016 – was still unusual, in terms of having that kind of action hero as a role model. And it proved to be a brilliant choice. Now, five years on, you go, ‘Why was it even remarkable?’ But it always takes someone to actually do it, and Chris did it.

Addressing criticisms of the era: “Opinion is fickle, so you take all that with a pinch of salt.”

He continued: “Every Doctor gets it, every showrunner gets it. I loved Steven Moffat’s reaction when Russell T Davies was announced as coming back recently – writing ‘RTD MUST GO!’ on Instagram. I thought that was so witty, because there’s always someone waiting to have a pop. And that’s good, in a way. The great thing is we have freedom of speech and people are free to say what they want.

“Every era of Doctor Who has had its massive champions, and every era and every Doctor has had people going ‘It’s not like it used to be…’ And then, afterwards, a lot of the kind of contemporary commentary disappears. With a short distance of time, there is huge affection looking back.

“I think, when the story is written, Jodie’s Doctor will be thought of, quite rightly, with huge affection. And love, quite frankly.”