Gatiss also announced the news on Twitter: "One day I shall come back. Thrilled to announce I'm writing a long-cherished drama about the creation of 'Doctor Who'!"
Below is the official press release from the BBC about the docudrama titled An Adventure in Time and Space:
An Adventure In Space And Time will tell the story of the genesis of Doctor Who since its first broadcast on 23 November 1963. Exploring all aspects of the longest running science fiction series to date, the special one-off 90-minute drama will also look at the many personalities involved in bringing the series to life.
Written by Mark Gatiss, it is executive produced by current Doctor Who showrunner, Steven Moffat, and Caroline Skinner. The single drama was commissioned by Ben Stephenson Controller, Drama, and Janice Hadlow, Controller of BBC Two.
Mark Gatiss said: “This is the story of how an unlikely set of brilliant people created a true television original. And how an actor – William Hartnell – stereotyped in hard-man roles became a hero to millions of children. I’ve wanted to tell this story for more years than I can remember! To make it happen for Doctor Who’s 50th birthday is quite simply a dream come true.”
Steven Moffat, Executive Producer, said: “The story of Doctor Who is the story of television – so it’s fitting in the anniversary year that we make our most important journey back in time to see how the TARDIS was launched.”
The production and transmission schedule will be confirmed next year, along with casting.
