BBC Boss: ‘Doctor Who’ Disruption Opportunity For Creative Renewal

BBC director general Matt Brittin has made a bullish case for the future of Doctor Who after the sci-fi show’s Christmas special was canceled amid production changes.

Brittin — who declared his love for Doctor Who before joining the BBC earlier this year — said the exit of showrunner Russell T Davies, producer Bad Wolf, and co-producer Disney+ was an opportunity for creative renewal.

The BBC announced that it will embark on a competitive tender for Season 16, in which producers will pitch in a bake-off-style process to regenerate the sci-fi series. The process will take time, meaning Doctor Who may not return to screens for years, following the conclusion of Ncuti Gatwa’s spell as the Time Lord.

Speaking as the BBC published its annual report, Brittin said: “That’s a show that has regenerated multiple times in its 60-plus year history, and we’ll do so again.

“I think that’s one of the great things about the 100-year history of the BBC. We can do that, and we can creatively renew shows that people love, and we’ll be working hard on that right now.”

The BBC has not given any timeline for when it will take Doctor Who to market, and when it does, it’s a process that can take up to six months, if a tender for Casualty is anything to go by.

Industry insiders think Doctor Who won’t return until 2028 at the very earliest, but even then, this is considered an outside bet. One producer predicted that Doctor Who could be rested for up to five years, and that the break would be good for the series.

There is a feeling that the sci-fi series lost its way creatively, with Gatwa never fully embracing the role, and concerns about Davies using a “sledgehammer” to tackle issues of diversity and inclusion that have long been a celebrated part of Doctor Who. Ratings tanked under his watch.