Beth Willis Leaves Doctor Who

Beth Willis, executive producer of the fifth and sixth seasons of Doctor Who, has been confirmed to leave the BBC this Summer. Willis will return to Kudos Film & Television in September (having worked on Ashes to Ashes there previously), and had this to say on the move: "Working on the last two series of Doctor Who has been the most fantastic experience. However the opportunity to return to Kudos, a company whose creativity is so inspirational was a temptation I couldn't resist." The exec did assure fans of the sci-fi, currently on a mid-season hiatus, that her departure would not affect future plans for the programme: "The plans taking shape for the next series of Doctor Who [Series Seven, set to air in an unannounced format in 2012] and the fiftieth anniversary [2013 is this landmark year, the show having started in 1963] are beyond exciting, and with Steven Moffat at the helm, this incredibly special time for the show is in very safe hands." Showrunner Moffat also commented on Willis' departure from his team, saying she "is off to be brave and brilliant in brand new ways, and the sad news for Doctor Who is that it will be somewhere else." The news follows the departure of Piers Wenger, Head of Drama and another exec on Who, earlier this year. Doctor Who returns in September, but of course don't forget Torchwood: Miracle Day starts next Thursday at 9pm on BBC One!