Steven Moffat has praised the decision to release the first two episodes of Doctor Who's upcoming season 14 on the same day – calling the move "a whole new level of insane greatness".

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The former showrunner made the comments underneath Russell T Davies's Instagram post announcing the news, which revealed that the run will begin with a double bill on Saturday 11th May and that, controversially, the episodes will first arrive on BBC iPlayer at midnight.

Moffat did not comment specifically on the iPlayer news – which has drawn criticism from some UK fans – but he did jokingly add: "Speaking as a fan, I can’t wait to complain about it!!!"

That prompted Davies to respond: "Back in your box!"

Whovians have been vocal about the decision to debut the new episodes on streaming at midnight, a move which many have pointed out sees the show arrive at a more convenient time for viewers across the Atlantic and which they've argued could diminish the event nature of watching the series as it airs on Saturday nights.

Steven Moffat wearing a suit and smiling at the camera, stood in front of a blue backdrop
Steven Moffat. Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty Images

The release date news was initially made official on Friday (15th March) with Davies saying: "At last, it's my great delight to unleash a whole new season of the Doctor and Ruby's adventures together."

Teasing the season to come, he added: "Monsters! Chases! Villains! Mysteries! And a terrifying secret that's been spanning time and space for decades. Don't miss a second!"

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We already know that among the string of new episodes, there will be an instalment set in the Regency era, while another will be set during the 1960s, featuring The Beatles.

Most recently, Davies confirmed that Shadow & Bone star Genesis Lynea will be joining the season 14 cast in addition to The Winter King's Gwïon Morris Jones. They join previously announced guest cast members, which include Jonathan Groff, Jinkx Monsoon, Aneurin Barnard, Indira Varma and Lenny Rush.

Doctor Who will return on Saturday 11th May. Doctor Who is available to watch on BBC iPlayer and on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial here.

Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

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