The BBC has confirmed that there will only be six new episodes of Doctor Who broadcast during 2012 – five episodes of the regular series 7 and the Christmas Special. There will then be eight episodes broadcast during 2013.

The Ponds will leave during episode five of the autumn run: “Amy & Rory will leave in a final encounter with the Weeping Angels in ep 5. Not everyone gets out alive and I mean it this time,” Steven Moffat says.

This does not mean that there will only be eight episodes in 2013, since the BBC specifically comments that there are no discussions in today’s announcements of the 50th Anniversary plans for the series.