Doctor Who legend Steven Moffat teases new TV show: “It’s the closest thing I’ve done to Press Gang”

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The ITV show Press Gang, a comedy drama that aired from 1989 to 1993, was a defining program for children’s television. It realistically followed the creation of a newspaper made by young people, and was known for its smart writing, occasional toughness, and refusal to be overly moralistic or sentimental. The show launched the career of writer Steven Moffat (who later won a Bafta and created shows like Sherlock) and made Julia Sawalha (famous for Absolutely Fabulous and Jonathan Creek) a star. It even inspired many dedicated viewers – including myself and a colleague – to become journalists.

Looking back, the show really reflected the experiences of everyone involved – we were all figuring out adulthood together,” Moffat explains. “It’s funny to meet the cast now because they’re realizing I wasn’t much older than they were at the time. Julia actually thought I was around 50! I was only 26.

Moffat drew inspiration from shows like Cheers, Moonlighting, and The Kids from Fame, aiming to capture their quick pace, humor, and energy in his own way. He dismisses the idea of having a distinct writing style, saying it’s simply how he naturally writes, but that style is evident in the snappy dialogue and creative storytelling of Press Gang, particularly through memorable characters like Sawalha’s Lynda Day – an editor who is driven, brave, but also realistically flawed.

He recalls constantly being told to show Lynda’s emotional weaknesses, but he always questioned why. He’d observed that truly strong people he knew weren’t necessarily vulnerable, and believed that a good Doctor Who doesn’t need anyone’s approval or see himself as a traditional hero.

He notes he often finds himself apologizing, but is drawn to characters who don’t. He’s explored this theme in his work several times, most recently with Madeline (played by Karen Gillan) in his 2024 film, Douglas is Cancelled. According to the writer, Madeline isn’t seeking praise or sympathy for her difficult experiences; she simply navigates them as best she can, refusing to portray herself as a victim.

Moffat doesn’t approve of the current trend of portraying oneself as a victim to gain sympathy. He explains that, even though it might seem effective temporarily, it ultimately doesn’t work – and he’d actually encourage this behavior if he held opposing views. He feels it’s become common for people to seek a mental health diagnosis, and he believes he himself could easily be labeled with several conditions due to his own quirks, but he doesn’t see the point in doing so.

After working consistently for 39 years, Sherlock writer Mark Gatiss is now focused on his new Channel 4 drama, ‘Number 10’. The show offers a glimpse into the inner workings of government, deliberately keeping the political party unspecified. Rafe Spall plays the Prime Minister, and Katherine Kelly stars as his chief of staff.

He describes the new show as being very similar to his previous work, ‘Press Gang.’ While it’s a comedy set in a workplace, he doesn’t necessarily label it as a straight comedy, just like ‘Press Gang’ wasn’t. He simply says it’s often quite humorous.

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Now that “Press Gang” is being re-aired on Rewind TV, will Steven Moffat be watching? Surprisingly, he won’t. He admits he enjoys current television but finds it hard to watch his older work.

He’s definitely interested in getting the band back together, though he doesn’t think it’s likely. He jokes that they’re all getting a bit old to appeal to younger audiences, pointing out he recently attended a 60th birthday party for Dexter Fletcher.

Press Gang is on Rewind TV weekdays at 6:30pm from Monday 2 March. Number 10 will air on Channel 4.

Authors

Gareth McLean

For almost three decades, Gareth McLean has been a professional television writer and critic. He’s reviewed countless shows and interviewed a wide range of celebrities, including Liza Minnelli and Jimmy Savile. He’s also worked as a writer creating content for television itself.

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2026-03-02 20:56