Doctor Who producer's "only worry" about season 14: 'Need to get it right'

In an interview with Doctor Who Magazine Special, Gardner assured she had the utmost confidence in Davies's scripts – describing them as up there with "his best-ever work" – but admitted she felt some pressure in her role.

"There’s only one worry on Doctor Who: that production delivers on the extraordinary quality of Russell’s writing," she explained.

"He’s writing amongst his best-ever work. The scripts are big and extremely ambitious. The only worry I ever have is that we get it right for him. We run to keep up.”

Gardner went on to explain how crucial Davies is to the future of Doctor Who, breaking down how he is involved in virtually every aspect of the production.

She continued: “He’s the beating heart of the creative offering that is Doctor Who. It’s his vision on screen, which starts in his ideas for episodes.

"He writes the majority of scripts and talks with the script team about who and when additional writers come in. His creative decisions impact the budget, and vice versa, so he’s across the headlines of budgets and the dynamics of what happens on any day in the shoot.

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Gardner added: "He’s on every single casting email, and his voice is always the most important in the mix. But I’m happiest when he’s in front of his computer screen, writing. That’s the bit no one else in our [executive producer] group can do."

The special magazine, on sale now, celebrates the thirteen individuals who "have accepted the unique challenge of steering one of the most demanding programmes on television" – starting from original producer Verity Lambert to the present day.

Doctor Who Magazine Special #63 is available now. Doctor Who season 14 is coming soon to BBC One and iPlayer.

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