The BBC recently confirmed that, while the deal with Disney is now over, the Doctor will return next Christmas for a festive special written by the showrunner.
Asked whether he's started writing the special, Davies exclusively told RadioTimes.com: "Not at the moment because I'm busy on [The War Between the Land and the Sea]. I'm also shooting a show in Manchester, so next year my plate clears and we'll get to work on that."
While he's keeping quiet on the details of the special, Davies also confirmed he's got the plot all worked out, saying: "I know exactly what happens in it, don't worry about that."
Thankfully, we've got a new offering in the Whoniverse to tide us over until then, with spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea coming our way on 7th December.
The five-part series is set to follow everyman Barclay (played by Russell Tovey), who is unexpectedly drawn into efforts to prevent a world-threatening conflict as iconic Who monsters the Sea Devils return.
Along the way, he'll forge an unlikely connection with Gugu Mbatha-Raw's Salt, with the pair changing each other forever.
Russell Tovey as Barclay Pierre-Dupont and Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Salt in The War Between the Land and the Sea. BBC Studios/Bad Wolf/James Pardon
Davies previously opened up to Radio Times about how the series is set to tackle the climate crisis, explaining: "I think every writer in the world is thinking, how do you write about the climate crisis? We’re already in a climate war. This just dramatises it.
"When they first approached me about coming back to Doctor Who in 2021, this was the first bit of my pitch," he added. "I had this idea separately first.
"But weirdly, it needs the Doctor Who setting. If I just go and pitch this cold, saying, ‘There is a race of creatures that live in the sea…' They’d say, 'Really? You sure?' The pre-existence of the Sea Devils takes all the problems out of it."
Russell Tovey as Barclay in The War Between the Land and the Sea. BBC Studios/Bad Wolf/Alistair Heap
Meanwhile, Tovey previously offered some insight on his character at the Edinburgh TV Festival, saying: "It's this narrative of this guy who, basically... he's someone who works in the offices and books people's taxis, but by some series of events, he ends up becoming a very important figure in the world, and having to understand that role and what that entails.
"And, in true Doctor Who [fashion, he's] saving the planet. It was just a total joy to play this everyman who's the sort of guy that's drifted into his late 30s, early 40s and, unbeknownst to him, just thought, 'This is what life was going to be.'
"I love that. Hopefully, it's inspiring and people feel like it's not over, that things can shift any moment. I'm really proud of it, and I'm terrified of it and excited by it – all of those things. But working on it was brilliant, and the scripts were fab."
Stay tuned for more about The War Between the Land and the Sea, including news, interviews, features, and more. The War Between the Land and the Sea is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 7th December.
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Louise Griffin is the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor for Radio Times, covering everything from Doctor Who, Star Wars and Marvel to House of the Dragon and Good Omens. She previously worked at Metro as a Senior Entertainment Reporter and has a degree in English Literature.
Morgan Jeffery is the Digital Editor for Radio Times, overseeing all editorial output across digital platforms. He was previously TV Editor at Digital Spy and has featured as a TV expert on BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 5 Live and Sky Atlantic.
