How many series of Doctor Who have there been?

Jodie Whittaker returns for one final season as the Doctor (Picture: PA)

For fans of Doctor Who, Halloween 2021 is much more treat than trick as the new series of the show launches on BBC One.

The new season is set to be an emotional one, with Jodie Whittaker leaving the series having already filmed the regeneration scene (where a Doctor is replaced by another) and Mandip Gill, who plays Yaz, telling Metro.co.uk in an exclusive interview that fans will cry.  

The show has become an institution at this point, but just how many series of Doctor Who have there been and when did it first start?

Here’s what you need to know…

How many series have there been of Doctor Who?

In total, there’s been 39 seasons of Doctor Who.

The chronology of Doctor Who episodes is typically split into two groups: the original run of the series, which ran from 1963 to 1989, and the current run of the show, which was brough back to the BBC in 2005.

The original run of Doctor Who – often called the Classic Era – lasted for 26 series.

The first episode aired on November 23, 1963. William Hartnell played the First Doctor.

The Classic Era of Doctor Who ended on December 6, 1989, ending with the Seventh Doctor, played by Sylvester McCoy.

The show was relaunched in March 2005, with Christopher Ecclestone playing the first Doctor of the new era.

The 13th series of the current era of Doctor Who returned on October 31, 2021, with Jodie Whittaker returning for her final series as the first ever female Timelord.

Yaz (Mandip Gill, The Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and Dan (John Bishop) will star in the 13th series (Picture: BBC Studios/James Pardon)

There’s no news yet on who will be replacing Whittaker, but there are plenty of names in the running.

Olly Alexander has been a favourite among bookies, with other names including Michael Sheen and Michaela Coel hotly tipped.

How many episodes of Doctor Who have there been?

Ahead of the launch of the 13th series, 862 episodes had aired.

With six episodes planned for series 13, there’ll be 868 instalments in total before Russell T Davies’ return as showrunner for series 14.

Doctor Who returns Sunday, October 31 at 6:25 on BBC One.

MORE : Doctor Who’s Jodie Whittaker ‘considered staying on the show for longer’ ahead of 2022 exit

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