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Leeds creative entrepreneur’s YouTube sensation chosen as Doctor Who title sequence

Leeds motion graphics designer Billy Hanshaw, who designed YouTube fan concept ideas for BBC show Doctor Who, has had his work debuted as the title sequence for the show’s new season.

After publishing his ideas on YouTube, the clip attracted more than half a million views in just three months.

Steven Moffat, the show’s executive producer and lead writer was one of the thousands that watched the clip, and decided it was the right fit for the show.

On Saturday, Billy’s title sequence was unveiled as the new series of Doctor Who aired in the prime time slot on BBC One.

Steve Moffat with Billy Hanshaw at the premiere of the new season of Doctor Who

Hanshaw, who has worked in the design industry for 27 years, said: “I’ve always been interested in title sequences, so I decided to put something together for Doctor Who really just to showcase my skills and creative ideas.

“I started to get a sense that people liked it almost immediately as it quickly racked up a few thousand views. But then it really took off and within three months it had been watched more than half a million times.

“Quite out of the blue I was contacted by the Doctor Who production team. Apparently, fans of the show from all over the world had been emailing the BBC drawing their attention to it.

“I was drafted in by the graphics team at BBC Wales to help realise the new title sequence and our collaboration will now be seen by millions of people not just in the UK, but around the world.

“It is highly unusual for the BBC to hire individuals at this level so I’m grateful for being given this wonderful opportunity and thankful to all those people who saw my original YouTube clip and contacted the BBC.

“Sites like YouTube are a fantastic platform for creative people to showcase their work. You never know who is watching.”

Doctor Who executive Steven Moffat said: “There is nothing more thrilling than when the audience talks back. Billy’s brilliant concept for a new Doctor Who title sequence, is the only truly new idea I’ve seen since the very original.

“I saw it a while back on YouTube, and was knocked out. It was a pleasure to get him to the Doctor Who studios to work on a broadcast version.

“This is the Doctor Who dream incarnate - the TARDIS can appear any moment and whisk you to the stars.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .