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Title: Piers Wenger leaving the BBC Post by: poprockgeek on May 26, 2011, 11:07:23 am As we know Piers Wenger stepped down as Head of Drama for Wales a while back but now ...
Piers is leaving the BBC altogether so that also brings to an end his time as Exec Producer of Doctor Who. Here's the official statement from the BBC: Quote End of the Piers Show 26th May 2011 It's been confirmed that Piers Wenger, currently one of Doctor Who's three executive producers, is leaving the BBC. Piers succeeded Julie Gardner as Head of Drama for BBC Wales and shortly after became executive producer of Doctor Who, taking an active role in the casting of Matt Smith as the Doctor. He also served as executive producer on Doctor Who: The Adventure Games and Doctor Who Confidential. Away from the TARDIS he worked on Ashes to Ashes, Christopher and His Kind and the relaunch of Upstairs Downstairs. In March 2010 Piers stepped down as Head of Drama but remained at BBC Wales where he continued as creative leader for a number of key shows, including the award-winning Eric and Ernie. He commented, 'It is with great sadness that I say goodbye to Doctor Who and BBC Drama, and all of the extraordinary people who I have worked with there.' Piers is leaving the BBC to join Film4 and everyone in the Doctor Who team would like to wish him the very best of luck in his new role. You can see the original HERE (http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/dw/news/bulletin_110526_01/End_of_the_Piers_Show) I know he probably won't ever read this but I'd like to wish him good luck too & thank him for what he's done for the show. Title: Re: Piers Wenger leaving the BBC Post by: The Doc on May 26, 2011, 12:44:13 pm There had been whispers of this for a little while since he stepped down as Head of Drama, but I would have thought that if true it would have been announced once at least the first half of the show was completed. I think he has done a great job so I wish him well at Film4. I wonder now if he will be replaced or if Moffat and Beth Willis will carry on as a twosome like RTD and Julie Gardner did. Its a loss, but I think they can cope
Title: Re: Piers Wenger leaving the BBC Post by: poprockgeek on May 26, 2011, 01:23:56 pm I think they can cope too - they've had 2 series to get used to what they are doing so I'm sure the 2 of them will be fine.
Title: Re: Piers Wenger leaving the BBC Post by: Joshua on May 26, 2011, 08:39:44 pm I wonder what effect, if any, this will have on the future of Who?
Title: Re: Piers Wenger leaving the BBC Post by: Peri-Peri on May 26, 2011, 08:43:25 pm I wouldnt think so. I don't suppose he was any more hands on than Julie Gardner was and would probably have had little input beyond the actual producing, and seeing as Moff and Beth Willis are still there as producers there will probably be little change to the actual show. I wouldnt even say he would need a replacement tbh.
Title: Re: Piers Wenger leaving the BBC Post by: missadric2 on May 27, 2011, 08:39:18 am Awwwwww :( good luck Piers you'll be great at Film4 :D
Title: Re: Piers Wenger leaving the BBC Post by: Vampyros Adric on May 31, 2011, 07:01:27 pm Its always difficult to know exactly how much influence someone like Wenger has on the show. Whether he has creative input or whether he was the figures man and Moff was the storyteller. Either way the re-booted Matt Smith version is amazing and it is partly his legacy so, like everyone else, I wish him well.
Title: Re: Piers Wenger leaving the BBC Post by: Oh-Wise-One on June 01, 2011, 01:58:45 pm I'm sure he had a decent amount of input but I doubt that his leaving will have any long term affects on the show.
Title: Re: Piers Wenger leaving the BBC Post by: poprockgeek on July 07, 2011, 12:38:10 pm Slightly related to this really so I'll put it in here.
DWM tweeted this about an hour ago: Farewell to Doctor Who's executive producer Beth Willis, who is returning to Kudos Film and Television. That's all I know. If I find out more I'll pop it in here :-\ Title: Re: Piers Wenger leaving the BBC Post by: The Doc on July 07, 2011, 01:30:59 pm This has been speculated for a while so it's not really a shocker. The press will no doubt print up stories about the show being in trouble, but my opinion is just that they had trouble adjusting to such a high pressure job. It's not an easy position and there is no pride to be lost in moving on to something easier. On the other hand perhaps they both just wanted to do something new. I don't think it has anything to do with troubles behind the scenes though
Title: Re: Piers Wenger leaving the BBC Post by: The Doc on July 07, 2011, 01:47:48 pm Here is a bit more information that I just found:
Doctor Who executive producer Beth Willis, is to leave the series to return to her former employers Kudos Film and Television. Willis will leave the BBC at the end of this month, a couple of months before fellow executive producer Piers Wenger leaves the BBC to join Film 4. The news means a new executive team will join showrunner Steven Moffat as the programme gears up for production on the 2012/2013 series of the show leading into the 50th anniversary year. Willis has been an Executive Producer on the series for the past two years. She joined the series with Wenger at the same time as showrunner Steven Moffat, taking over for the arrival of Eleventh Doctor at the conclusion of The End of Time. Both have been responsible for 27 episodes of the Show. Wills will leave the series at the end of this month with Wenger departing the BBC at the end of September. The BBC hopes to find a replacement for Willis in time for the filming of the Doctor Who Christmas special. It will then recruit a second executive producer before filming for the 33rd series begins. The BBC's Drama controller Ben Stephenson praised Willis for her work on Doctor Who. Much of its current success is down to her vision and ambition for the show. She has been an inspiring and instrumental force and I know will be much missed by all of us, and especially Matt Smith and Steven Moffat. Steven Moffat added: We couldn’t keep her forever, though God knows I tried. She is off to be brave and brilliant in brand new ways, and the sad news for Doctor Who is that it will be somewhere else. Willis returns to Kudos where she produced the first two series of Ashes To Ashes. Chief executive of Kudos, Jane Featherstone, said “I’m chuffed to bits to be welcoming her back to Kudos, where her creative instincts and no-nonsense work ethic will make her a force to be reckoned with in the drama world. Title: Re: Piers Wenger leaving the BBC Post by: poprockgeek on July 07, 2011, 01:48:03 pm There certainly isn't any shame in admitting you need to do something easier - I've done it myself.
Anyway here's the official story from the DW site: Quote Beth Willis On Leaving Doctor Who It's been confirmed that Doctor Who Executive Producer Beth Willis is leaving BBC Wales. Beth commented, 'Working with Steven Moffat, Piers Wenger and Matt Smith on the last two series of Doctor Who has been the most fantastic experience and I will miss them hugely... The plans taking shape for the next series of Doctor Who and for the 50th Anniversary are beyond exciting - and with Steven Moffat at the helm, this incredibly special time for the show is in very safe hands." Beth joined Doctor Who in 2009, shortly after producing the first two series of the iconic drama, Ashes to Ashes. She was onboard for the beginning of the Eleventh Doctor's era and her contribution was noted by Ben Stevenson, BBC's Drama Controller, who said, 'Much of its [Doctor Who's] current success is down to her vision and ambition for the show. She has been an inspiring and instrumental force and I know will be much missed by all of us, and especially Matt Smith and Steven Moffat.' During her years with BBC Wales, Beth also co-exec produced the hugely popular series of Doctor Who: The Adventure Games, Doctor Who Confidential and the BAFTA-winning Eric and Ernie. Lead Writer and Executive Producer, Steven Moffat, commented, 'We couldn't keep her forever, though God knows I tried. She is off to be brave and brilliant in brand new ways, and the sad news for Doctor Who is that it will be somewhere else.' Beth will be returning to Kudos Film & Television and everyone on the Doctor Who team wishes her the very best of luck for the future. SOURCE (http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/dw/news/bulletin_110707_01/Beth_Willis_On_Leaving_Doctor_Who) Title: Re: Piers Wenger leaving the BBC Post by: Nyki on July 09, 2011, 04:30:53 pm Actually, if you're going to leave, this isn't a bad time, with both the Showrunner and star well settled down. No-one stays forever (well, apart from JNT ???)
Title: Re: Piers Wenger leaving the BBC Post by: poprockgeek on July 21, 2011, 11:24:02 am I'll stick this on here instead of starting a new thread as it relates. A new Exec Producer has been chosen. The Moff reveals all in an interview on the BBC site:
Quote Steven Moffat on the New Executive Producer These are exciting times for fans of Doctor Who. We've recently had the very welcome announcement that 14 new episodes have been commissioned along with confirmation that Matt Smith will be onboard for them. Hurray! Now comes the news that a new executive producer has been appointed. We felt it was the perfect moment to catch up with lead writer and executive producer, Steven Moffat, who revealed all about the new exec... What can you tell us about Doctor Who's new executive producer? Steven Moffat: The exec joining me on Doctor Who is Caroline Skinner - fresh from the wonderful Five Days, and still finishing up on a brand new show called The Fades (a fantasy horror series, written by Jack Thorne - I've seen episode 1, and it's BRILLIANT.) Somewhere between me laughing in a basement and choosing planets to invade, and Marcus Wilson raising armies, there has to be a Prime Minister actually running the whole thing. That's the job Piers Wenger and Beth Willis have been doing so wonderfully for the last few years. Now that Piers is off to movie land, that's the furnace Caroline will be walking into. How did you meet her? SM: It's a funny thing about this show: the people who work on it, get so attached and so passionate about it, they can't just leave - they have to make sure it's going to be okay after they're gone. Just as when Russell was leaving, he sounded me out about taking over, Piers had strong views on who should be his successor. And as soon as I met Caroline, I knew exactly why. It takes a particular kind of person to work on this show - you have to be prepared to work every day of the week, laugh in the face of holidays, and above all, understand that Doctor Who is completely impossible to make and then make it anyway. I could see all that in Caroline - so off we go! When will she actually start on the show? SM: This has been in the works for a very long while, and a smooth succession is vital on this show. Caroline starts work almost immediately on the Christmas Special, alongside Piers Wenger. They've worked together before so this will be the smoothest hand-over we've done - and since Piers is determined to go out with a bang, that means Caroline will arrive with one. Just as it should be! The full interview is HERE (http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/dw/news/bulletin_110718_01) Title: Re: Piers Wenger leaving the BBC Post by: poprockgeek on March 13, 2013, 09:32:59 pm Caroline Skinner is off now: Quote Executive producer Caroline Skinner is leaving Doctor Who to join BBC Drama Production in London. She leaves the show in good shape, with a brilliant new run of blockbuster episodes starting on Easter Saturday. Caroline told us, ‘It has been an honour to have been a part of Doctor Who, and a privilege to have worked with Steven Moffat and Matt Smith on this extraordinary show. I have hugely enjoyed my time in BBC Wales and would like to thank Faith Penhale, and our wonderful production team for their unending commitment and brilliance. I will miss them all enormously, but I'm leaving Doctor Who in fine form, with the new series starting at Easter and the fantastic plans for the 50th Anniversary already underway. I am delighted to be now returning to BBC Drama Production in London as an executive producer, and the new opportunities and projects that will bring.’ BBC Wales’ Head of Drama, Faith Penhale, will be undertaking the role of executive producer on the 50th Anniversary episode of Doctor Who, alongside show runner, writer and executive producer Steven Moffat. SOURCE (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/doctorwho/) |