Class (TV series)

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Class will be an eight-episode spin-off series of Doctor Who, co-produced by BBC Wales and BBC America for digital television station BBC Three and BBC America. This new programme, and its first series, was announced on 1 October 2015. Unlike the parent show and more in line with Torchwood before it (which also debuted on BBC3), Class will be aimed specifically at a young adult audience. Once airing begins in autumn 2016, it will be the first BBC-produced Doctor Who spin-off series since The Sarah Jane Adventures ended in 2011.

Created by Patrick Ness, who, by his own account, is writing all 8 episodes of the first series, this new programme will take place in Coal Hill School, which first appeared in Doctor Who's very first episode as the school Susan attended in 1963.

Ed Bazalgette, who has directed on Doctor Who, will be directing the entirety of Class.

Class is confirmed to air online on BBC Three first and directly on BBC One afterwards. In Canada, the spin-off is confirmed to air on the Space channel. Ness later added: "Btw, plan is, Class airs on BBC3 online, then on BBC1, at which point the new episode of Class hits BBC3." and finished by saying "It's cool."

Class is in many aspects similar to its sister spin-off series Torchwood as well as Series 5 of its mother series Doctor Who in which "the boundaries of space-time have been stretched to breaking point, allowing all manner of creatures through.", however Ness pointed out that "We're not telling stories of the ‘chosen ones'." and that "It's happenstance that puts these people [at the centre of things]. What if your timing is just weird and things happen to you? How do you deal with it? I'm interested in real consequences. The Doctor is always exciting, but he never [stays]. He goes off on the next adventure. What happens to real people?"

Synopsis

What if your planet was massacred and you and your worst enemy were the sole survivors? 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…? Because Coal Hill School has been a part of Doctor Who since the beginning. But that's come at a price… Like all sixth formers, our heroes navigate a life of friends, parents, school, sex, sorrow – and possibly the end of existence. Something waits for us there, just on the other side of sight, for its chance to kill everything, to bring us all into Shadow…

Characters

The main character of Class, yet to be revealed, is, according to Ness, "someone brand new". Ness also confirmed via Twitter that Clara Oswald will not appear.

On 13 June, a bit earlier than scheduled, Ness revealed the lead would be an LGBT character who has a boyfriend, whom he kisses, sleeps with and loves. Ness told that given the recent Orlando shootings, riots caused by homophobia, over the weekend, it seemed less important to keep that a secret.

Ness also said that Weeping Angels or other old Doctor Who favourites would not appear in the show.

Peter Capaldi is set to pop up as the Twelfth Doctor.

Actor Greg Austin has been revealed on his CV to portray a regular called Charlie.

Nigel Betts will reprise his role as Mr Armitage.

On 4 April 2016, writer Patrick Ness announced the main cast; Greg Austin as Charlie (who was revealed only days earlier by his CV), Fady Elsayed, Sophie Hopkins and Vivian Oparah, all of which are students as well as Katherine Kelly as a teacher.

Paul Marc Davies will appear in several episodes of the first series.

On 29 April 2016, Katherine Kelly revealed via Instagram that her character is called Miss Quill and Episode 1 has the title of The Prom.

Anna Shaffer will portray a character called Rachel in Class.

Michelle Gomez, who portrays Missy, the latest and female incarnation of the villain known as the Master, said she would be happy to make an appearance on the show. However that she didn't know as she wasn't even sure if she was to appear in the tenth series of the parent series.

Filming

Class began filming in Wales at 4 April, and finished 2 September, 2016. It is rumoured to air in October, same year.

Other details

On Twitter, Ness jokingly confirmed that Class would feature the return of Quatermass, an all-nude episode, OMD, Toyah, a dream episode, and otters.

On Twitter, Ness jokingly said he wished Chris Pratt was on Class, "Wow, dudes, not everything I tweet is going to be about Class. Sometimes it'll be about Chris Pratt. And how I wish he was on Class.", in a response to fans apparently thinking he only tweets Class-stuff.

In an interview for Doctor Who Magazine #502, Steven Moffat told: "My boys are both teenagers, of course, so I'm quite excited to see what they'll make of Class, which has a lot of great stuff for that age group. Well, for every age group, but thanks to Patrick Ness, it captures that teenage world with great poignancy and wit."

Patrick Ness has revealed to Radio Times, on 29 July 2016, that the idea for Class started up with the rejection of a Doctor Who episode; "At first they asked me to write an episode of Doctor Who, and I said it's a brilliant show, but I've just spent so much time doing work for other people, and I really want to do something of my own. And they said, well we have this idea for setting a spin-off in a school. And it was like, 'ding'! It's been fantastic, I've got six weeks of filming to go. The cast are great, and it's been a fantastic experience. I can't wait for you to see it. Fingers crossed! It's going well."

It is rumoured that the 2016 Doctor Who Christmas special will be a Class crossover.