Okay, “announcements of announcements” are dumb and bad, but this is what we’re working with at this point. At least we know something’s coming.
You will get an announcement. There is a press release lumbering through the BBC which, as you know, is like the Jurassic period and 57 people have to sign off on every single word. I promise you in about a week, two weeks, there will be some sort of press release, and yet I can hear the gears slowing down even as I say that. You know this place!
I quite agree. It would be nice to have a christmas special this year, but if rushed circumstances turn that into another stopgap measure until the Beeb actually have a new lead actor, production team, and sufficient funding ahead of the next season proper — then I can wait a little longer.