Chris Chibnall

Chris Chibnall
Name	Chris Chibnall
Birth date	1969
Birth place	Gloucester, England
Occupation	Screenwriter, Television producer
Yearsactive	1998–present
Notableworks	Doctor Who, Broadchurch, Torchwood
Spouse	Madeline Chibnall

Chris Chibnall is a British screenwriter and television producer, best known for his work as the showrunner and head writer for the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who from 2018 to 2022. He is also the creator and writer of the critically acclaimed ITV drama Broadchurch. His career spans multiple genres, including contributions to series such as Torchwood, Life on Mars, and Law & Order: UK.

Early life and education

He was born in Gloucester and developed an early interest in drama and writing. He attended St Edward's School in Oxford before studying Drama at the University of Sussex. His early theatrical work included involvement with the National Student Drama Festival and writing for the Brighton Festival.

Career

His professional career began in theatre, with plays produced at venues like the Bush Theatre in London. He transitioned to television, writing for the BBC medical drama Doctors. He gained wider recognition as a writer and script editor for the revived Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood, contributing heavily to its first two series. He also wrote episodes for the BBC One series Life on Mars and served as an executive producer and lead writer for the ITV adaptation Law & Order: UK.

Doctor Who era

He first wrote for the parent series with the Third Doctor serial "42" for Series 3 in 2007, and later penned the two-part story "The Hungry Earth" / "Cold Blood" in Series 5. In 2016, the BBC announced his appointment as showrunner and head writer, succeeding Steven Moffat. His tenure, beginning with Series 11 in 2018, was historic for casting Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, the first woman to play the lead role. Major story arcs during his era included "The Timeless Child" and the Flux event. He oversaw the series until the BBC Centenary special "The Power of the Doctor" in 2022, after which Russell T Davies returned to the role.

Other television work

Beyond the Whoniverse, his most celebrated creation is the ITV crime drama Broadchurch, starring David Tennant and Olivia Colman, which ran for three series from 2013 to 2017. He also created and wrote the Netflix historical drama The Last Kingdom, adapted from Bernard Cornwell's novel series. Other writing credits include episodes for Camelot and the Sky One comedy ChuckleVision early in his career.

Personal life

He is married to Madeline Chibnall, a television producer and film editor who has worked on projects including Broadchurch. They have two children and reside in Dorset, an area that inspired the coastal setting of his series Broadchurch. He is a supporter of Gloucester Rugby and has spoken about the influence of his West Country upbringing on his writing.

Awards and nominations

His work on Broadchurch earned him a British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series in 2014. The series also received nominations for International Emmy Awards. For his contributions to Doctor Who, he has been nominated for Hugo Awards and National Television Awards. He was also nominated for a Writers' Guild of Great Britain Award for his work on Law & Order: UK.

Category:English television writers Category:English television producers Category:Doctor Who writers