BBC Studios has confirmed it will compete to be the next producer of Doctor Who after it was announced that the beloved sci-fi series will be put out to tender this year.
It was recently revealed that this year’s planned Christmas special has been cancelled, with showrunner Russell T Davies stepping back. Bad Wolf will also no longer produce the series.
However, it’s possible that Doctor Who will continue to be made very close to home after an enthusiastic statement from BBC Studios CEO Tom Fussell.
He told Deadline: “We’ve been the producer for 60 years and we want to be the producer for another 60 years, so we will be going for that tender with gusto. We are in it to win it.”
However, he did not confirm which BBC Studios label will compete, adding: “We’ve got the full breadth of our studio to look at that and we will do the best for an absolute adored brand.
“As the distributor and commercial licensor [of Doctor Who] we understand those fan relationships and can build on that. Doctor Who is something that people in this organisation care passionately about.”
Fussell’s comments come shortly after Matt Brittin, the BBC’s new Director General (who’s a self-professed Doctor Who fan) promised that the BBC will “regenerate” the show once again.
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.”
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The tender process has not yet begun and there’s not currently a timeline as to when it will happen.
However, it’s been suggested that Doctor Who may not return to screens until 2028.
When the BBC announced that Doctor Who would be put out to tender, the broadcaster said in a statement: “Doctor Who remains an important part of the BBC and this tender underpins the BBC’s continued commitment to Doctor Who ensuring audiences will enjoy the show for years to come.”
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Authors
Louise Griffin is the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor for Radio Times, covering everything from Doctor Who, Star Wars and Marvel to House of the Dragon and Good Omens. She previously worked at Metro as a Senior Entertainment Reporter and has a degree in English Literature.
