Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat has announced that Series 8 has "definitely, honestly" been commissioned and is already in the planning stages.
Speaking at the BAFTA Television Awards in London this week, Moffat commented: "This is a thing that just seems to have slipped by... so can I say it very firmly - Series 8 is absolutely, definitely confirmed. It is real and it's happening - it's [taking up] most of my time at the moment."
He added: "I get people telling me [that Series 8 is] not really happening. It really, definitely, honestly is!"
Jenna-Louise Coleman has confirmed that she will return as Clara in Series 8, but Matt Smith's involvement beyond the upcoming 50th anniversary special is uncertain.
Series 7 concludes this weekend with 'The Name of the Doctor' at 7pm on Saturday on BBC One.
Moffat recently told CultBox: "It’d be fair to say ‘the 50th starts here’. It begins. It’s quite a dark episode; it’s quite a serious episode. You’ll start to see the Doctor enter a phase of his life that’s going to change things."