[Scarlett.]

BBC Three announces Doctor Who Spin Off

BBC Three today announces Class - a new 8 x 45 minute Doctor Who spin off from the acclaimed YA author, Patrick Ness. Class is a YA series set in contemporary London. Incredible dangers are breaking through the walls of time and space, and with darkness coming, London is unprotected. With all the action, heart and adrenalin of the best YA fiction (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Hunger Games), this is Coal Hill School and Doctor Who like you’ve never seen them before.

Steven Moffat says, “No one has documented the dark and exhilarating world of the teenager like Patrick Ness, and now we're bringing his brilliant story-telling into Doctor Who. This is growing up in modern Britain - but with monsters!”

On his first television series, writer Patrick Ness says, "I'm astounded and thrilled to be entering the Doctor Who universe, which is as vast as time and space itself. There's so much room there for all kinds of amazing stories, and to work with Steven Moffat and Brian Minchin to find a place to tell one of my own has been an absolute joy. I can't wait for people to meet the heroes of Class, to meet the all-new villains and aliens, to remember that the horrors of the darkest corners of existence are just about on par with having to pass your A-Levels."

Damian Kavanagh, Controller BBC Three adds, “We’re excited to give Patrick Ness this opportunity to work with us at BBC Three and the Doctor Who family. Patrick understands young audiences and I’m delighted he will use his incredible skills as a storyteller to delight audiences on BBC Three. BBC Three will always innovate and offer opportunities for brilliant new talent."

Polly Hill, Controller BBC Drama Commissioning, adds, “I am thrilled that Patrick Ness is writing his first drama series for BBC Three. The combination of Patrick and Steven Moffat, is an exciting partnership that has created a brilliant Doctor Who spin off for our BBC Three audience.”

Class is executive produced by Steven Moffatt, Patrick Ness and Brian Minchin. It was commissioned by Damian Kavanagh, Controller BBC Three and Polly Hill, Controller BBC Drama Commissioning.

An 8 x 45 minute series produced by BBC Cymru Wales in association with BBC Worldwide for BBC Three.

The series will film in and around Wales from Spring, 2016 and be on air next year.

BBC

[Marsh.]

Urgh

MI High with aliens

[MB.]

Airing next year on BBC Three?

Isn't that an oxymoron?

[Scarlett.]

I think BBC Three is moving to online, if it isnt saved.

[Scarlett.]

Originally Posted by Marsh.

Urgh

MI High with aliens

Hopefully not, it's going to be on BBC Three, which means it's aimed more at young adults, and not going to be another Sarah Jane Adventures

[Glenn.]

A half baked Torchwood revival?

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Chewy

Hopefully not, it's going to be on BBC Three, which means it's aimed more at young adults, and not going to be another Sarah Jane Adventures

It being set at Coal Hill just made me think of the kids from The Caretaker.

Grange Hill with a sonic screwdriver.

[JoshBB]

Sarah Jane was my (late) childhood omg

[Rob!]

I take it this will become the spinoff that everyone has apparently been screaming out for featuring Jenny, Vastra and Strax?

[Jay.]

Originally Posted by Rob!

I take it this will become the spinoff that everyone has apparently been screaming out for featuring Jenny, Vastra and Strax?

vom i don't get that trio AT ALL

[Rob!]

Originally Posted by Jay.

vom i don't get that trio AT ALL

I think Strax is hilarious but the writing was that much of a mess when they all got introduced that I can't actually remember why they all exist together. Apparently one of them died. I don't remember that and I've watched every episode.

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Rob!

I think Strax is hilarious but the writing was that much of a mess when they all got introduced that I can't actually remember why they all exist together. Apparently one of them died. I don't remember that and I've watched every episode.

Jenny was killed in the Name of the Doctor.

Then brought back to life.

But apparently Strax has been killed and is now invincible/can't die.

[Scarlett.]

I hope they go for more of a Buffy The Vampire Slayer style feel, rather than SJA style, I presume it'll probably be about 6th form students rather than normal ones, lol. The writer is apparently a pretty damn decent one, so there's a chance it could work, depending on how they approach it.

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Chewy

I hope they go for more of a Buffy The Vampire Slayer style feel, rather than SJA style, I presume it'll probably be about 6th form students rather than normal ones, lol. The writer is apparently a pretty damn decent one, so there's a chance it could work, depending on how they approach it.

Oh if they go down that kind of route then I'm here for it.

[Marsh.]

Class is a lame title though. I hope they change that during production.

[Scarlett.]

Originally Posted by Marsh.

Oh if they go down that kind of route then I'm here for it.

They do specifically mention Buffy and The Hunger Games, so it does sound like they're taking that approach.

Class is definately a terrible name, it's too non descriptive, Torchwood and SJA worked cause they had some sort of Doctor Who connection, Class could be anything.

[GLENN BILL BB7]

Rose Tyler.

[Marsh.]

Rose Tyler: Earth Defence

[Rob!]

Perched for some fit blonde slayer type karate kicking a Dalek.

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Rob!

Perched for some fit blonde slater karate kicking a Dalek.

[Rob!]

Originally Posted by Marsh.

Ok that's the Dalek can I have the fit blonde now

[Marsh.]

That's your fit blonde Slater....

[Rob!]

[Tom4784]

Messy.

[Scarlett.]

Meet the cast of ​Doctor Who​​'s new spinoff - the BBC Three teen drama ​Class.

​Greg Austin, Fady Elsayed, Sophie Hopkins and Vivian Oparah are the young stars heading up the series from YA author Patrick Ness.

Katherine Kelly - of ​Coronation Street, Happy Valley ​and ​The Night Manager ​- is also on board, cast as "a teacher and powerful new presence" at Coal Hill School.

Coal Hill first appeared in ​Doctor Who​'s first ever episode in 1963 - with ​Class ​set to follow its students as they battle intergalactic threats.

The teens will have to navigate ​a life of friends, parents, school work, sex, sorrow - and possibly the end of existence. ​

An official synopsis for the series reads: "What if your planet was massacred and you were the sole survivor? What if a legendary figure out of space and time found you a place to hide?

"But what if the things that want to kill you have tracked you down? And worst of all, what if you haven't studied for your A-Levels…?

"Coal Hill School has been a part of the Doctor Who universe since the very beginning, but that has come at a price. All the time travelling over the years has caused the very walls of space and time to become thin.

"There's something pressing in on the other side, something waiting for its chance to kill everyone and everything, to bring us all into Shadow.​"

...and if all that hasn't got you hyped for ​Class​, ​Doctor Who ​showrunner Steven Moffat has only gone and billed the series as "a British ​Buffy​."

​"Coal Hill School has been part of Doctor Who since the very first shoot in 1963, but this new show is anything but history," Moffat said.

"Class is dark and sexy and right now. I've always wondered if there could be a British Buffy - it's taken the brilliant Patrick Ness to figure out how to make it happen."​

​Class ​starts filming today (Monday, April 4) and will premiere on BBC Three later this year.

Digital Spy