Claim: Steven Moffat is a scriptwriter for Doctor Who.

The tenth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who premiered on 15 April 2017 and is set to consist of twelve episodes , after it was released in July 2015 that BBC Worldwide had invested in a tenth series of the programme in its annual review . The series is led by head writer and executive producer Steven Moffat , alongside executive producer Brian Minchin . It is the third and final series overseen by the two as executive producers , as well as Moffat 's sixth and final series as head writer . This series is the tenth to air following the programme 's revival in 2005 , and is the thirty-sixth season overall .   Preceded by a Christmas special in December 2016 , `` The Return of Doctor Mysterio '' , the series is the third and final series starring Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor , an incarnation of the Doctor , an alien Time Lord who travels through time and space in his TARDIS , which appears to be a British police box on the outside ; Capaldi announced in January 2017 that he would be stepping down from the role after the tenth series . The series introduces Pearl Mackie as Bill Potts , the Doctor 's newest travelling companion , and also features Matt Lucas as Nardole , who appeared in the 2015 and 2016 Christmas specials .   Steven Moffat wrote four episodes for the series . Other returning writers who have worked on this series and previous ones include Frank Cottrell-Boyce , Sarah Dollard , Jamie Mathieson , Peter Harness , Toby Whithouse and Mark Gatiss , as well as two new writers for the revived era of the programme , Mike Bartlett and Rona Munro , the latter of whom wrote Survival , the final serial of the original classic era . Directors of the series included three who have previously worked on the show , and three brand new ones . Filming began on 20 June 2016 and lasted just over nine months , ending on 7 April 2017 .