Is The Caretaker returning to Coal Hill School?
It's been quite some time since the upcoming Doctor Who spinoff Class was first announced back in October of 2015 and we still don't really know all that much about it. The Radio Times has provided a few new details, however, and apparently confirms that Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi will be making some form of an appearance on the series.
The article cited "one source close to the production" who stated, "It will have a close connection with Doctor Who so don’t be surprised if Peter pops up." The show begins filming in April, before Doctor Who Series Ten starts filming in May, according to their sources. The cast for Class still remains unconfirmed.
The series will consist of eight episodes of 45 minutes each, centered around the Coal Hill School featured on Doctor Who, but the article claims that so far, the BBC is undecided about how to show them. They've been commissioned for BBC3, which means they should debut online first, but the BBC is reportedly still deciding whether they are going to be posted on a week-by-week basis, or whether the whole series will be "dropped" at once to allow fans to binge watch the entire first run. The article also states that like other original BBC3 content, Class will eventually find a home on a linear channel, presumed to be BBC1.
The show's initial press release back in October confirmed current Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat as executive producer, with Young Adult novelist Patrick Ness writing the series. "I'm astounded and thrilled to be entering the Doctor Who universe," said Ness, "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."
Class is expected to air on BBC America sometime in late 2016, with Doctor Who returning at Christmas before Series Ten airs in early 2017.