July 14, 2018
Doctor Who, which last appeared on TVNZ channels in 1996, is returning in time for the Thirteenth Doctor’s first outing.
The highly anticipated eleventh series stars Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor – the first woman to occupy the legendary role. TVNZ Director of Content, Cate Slater, says “Doctor Who has a special place in popular culture. It’s a global juggernaut with a faithful following. This upcoming season marks the beginning of a new era for the extraordinary Time Lord, with the first ever female Doctor at the helm of the TARDIS, the time felt right to bring the series back to TVNZ. We can’t wait to share all the action, adventure and humour the show is known and loved for with our viewers, as well as the exciting new twists and turns that are coming their way.”
The announcement of the programme’s return to TVNZ was teased to viewers with a new 40 second promo appearing simultaneously across TVNZ 1, TVNZ 2 and DUKE in the lead in to the evening’s 6pm programming. The promo is now available to stream at TVNZ OnDemand. The upcoming series of Doctor Who features a 60 minute opening episode followed by nine 50 minute episodes. TVNZ will stream episodes on TVNZ OnDemand immediately following the UK broadcast (at the same time episodes appear on BBC iPlayer in the UK), allowing New Zealand fans to engage in worldwide discussions on the show without the fear of spoilers. Episodes will also play on broadcast TV the same week as the UK.
Further details confirming the channel, day and date will be released closer to the series premiere.