Brace yourself: a new Doctor Who spinoff is in the works, and it's being pitched as having the "action, heart and adrenalin of the best YA fiction", such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Hunger Games.

That's certainly an interesting billing, but we'll still tune in to BBC Three next year to watch the series, especially since it has Steven Moffatt on board as an executive producer. He is not only the showrunner, writer, and producer of Doctor Who but also another show called Sherlock, both of which are hugely successful British television programmes.

The series is called Class and comes from young adult author Patrick Ness - whose past work includes A Monster Calls and the Chaos Walking trilogy. Class will be set in modern-day London, with filming beginning next Spring in and around Wales. The BBC said it expects the first season of Class to air next year.

There will be 8 episodes to start, each 45 minutes in length. In a press release, Ness said: "I can't wait for people to meet the heroes of Class, to meet the all-new villains and aliens, to remember that the horrors of the darkest corners of existence are just about on par with having to pass your A-Levels."

Moffat added: "This is like growing up in modern Britain - but with monsters!" Keep in mind past spinoffs within the Doctor Who Universe have included Torchwood and Sarah Jane Adventures.

new doctor who spinoff called class in the works at bbc airs next year image 2
BBC

No details about the cast or exact plot have been revealed yet, but stay tuned to our Doctor Who hub for all the latest developments.