Doctor Who season 11 will bring about a series-wide regeneration for the BBC’s seminal sci-fi institution. Jodie Whittaker will make her debut as the Thirteenth Doctor in the latest run, as written by incoming showrunner Chris Chibnall. Apart from the show’s lead actors and writers, though, Who will likewise find itself with a fresh composer, as Murray Gold has also made an exit.
In his place, Segun Akinola will take on the duties of scoring the show from the eleventh season onward. Very much a rising star in his profession, Akinola was a part of the BAFTA Breakthrough Brit program in 2017 and previously worked on documentary series Black and British: A Forgotten History.
Chibnall announced his hiring with a glowing statement earlier this week, saying:
“Welcome to the Doctor Who family, Segun Akinola! We’re over the moon Segun’s agreed to join us, to provide the score for the next phase of the Doctor Who adventure. From our very first conversations, it was obvious Segun was a passionate, collaborative and delightful human being as well as a fantastic and bold composer. We’re looking forward to introducing the world to his exciting and emotional soundtracks for the Thirteenth Doctor.”
Akinola himself said that he’s delighted to be joining such a massive institution, stating:
“Doctor Who is woven into the fabric of British culture and recognised globally. I am absolutely thrilled to be given the privilege of working on such a beloved series and to bring my musical voice to it.”
Of course, the composer will have big shoes to fill. Murray Gold had previously worked on Doctor Who from when it came back in 2005 all the way until the 2017 Christmas special. His musical style was generally grand and orchestral, but Akinola seems to favor synths. That should certainly make for an interesting new arrangement of the theme tune, wouldn’t you say?
Doctor Who season 11 is expected to arrive in either September or October and once we know more, we’ll be sure to update you.