The BBC has confirmed the premiere date for Doctor Who season 11. The long-running sci-fi show will make a return to our screens this fall when the thirteenth Doctor will make her debut, played by Jodie Whittaker. Not only will Doctor Who feature a new Doctor, the show will also begin a new era as Chris Chibnall takes over showrunner duties from Steven Moffat.

Former Doctor, Peter Capaldi, said goodbye to the TARDIS in an emotional Christmas special at the end of 2017. Whittaker made a brief appearance in the regeneration scene, uttering a single "Aw, brilliant," with a bright smile, before the TARDIS shot off through space and time. Fans have wondered just when the next season will premiere, and now it's been revealed.

Related: Doctor Who: Jodie Whittaker's Doctor & Costume Are Genderless

The BBC's Doctor Who Twitter account has confirmed that season 11 will begin on BBC America and BBC One, on Sunday, October 7th. Check out the post below:

Airing on a Sunday night is new for Doctor Who; it's traditionally always been on a Saturday, but BBC scheduling in the U.K. meant that last season had many different time slots; something that is thought to have harmed its viewing figures. A new regular slot, plus the first ever female Doctor could well see Doctor Who becoming a firm family favorite once more. As well as casting Whittaker as the Doctor, Chibnall has introduced a number of changes to the show. The Doctor will have not one, but three companions in her TARDIS; Yaz (Mandip Gill), Ryan (Tosin Cole), and Graham (Bradley Walsh). At 58 years of age, Walsh becomes the oldest of the Doctor's companions.

Chibnall has also brought in a new creative team, including the first writers of color in the show's history. Chibnall has previously spoken of his desire to make the show less serialized than it was under Moffat, so each episode will be more or less standalone, something that could also help viewing figures to grow once again. Among the list of directors for season 11 is Jamie Childs, who helmed Whittaker's reveal as the Doctor, and is currently directing the His Dark Materials adaptation. At present, the list of writers does not include Neil Gaiman, who has spoken of his desire to write for Doctor Who again, but that may well be something to look out for in the future.

Doctor Who season 11 will begin on October 7th, and this season will consist of just 10 episodes instead of the usual 12, but they will each run at 50 minutes instead of the previous 45. The season premiere is 65 minutes, so we'll get a good chance to know the new Doctor and her companions in that time. Doctor Who will have a Christmas special, as is tradition, but whether that special will count in the season 11 run or be extra, is not yet known. A previously released trailer for Doctor Who certainly stirred fans excitement, and now it's just a matter of coutning down the weeks until the TARDIS returns to our screens.

More: Doctor Who Season 11: Every Update You Need To Know

Source: BBC