David Tennant appearing in a Doctor Who charity special in 2023. (BBC/Children in Need)
Doctor Who fans may be able to find some hope from the words of the BBC’s new Chief Content Officer, who has said that the show “is going nowhere.”
The future of the long-running BBC series has been a source of anxiety for fans since the finale of the last season which saw Ncuti Gatwa end his short stint as the Time Lord as they regenerated into Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), the Doctor’s former companion.
Even before the season ended, updates on the series’ future have been rare and vague – when anyone said anything at all, that is.
Ncuti Gatwa in Doctor Who. (BBC Studios)
However, in front of an audience at the Edinburgh TV Festival Kate Phillips, the BBC’s new chief content officer, has given the most definitive update yet. “Rest assured, Doctor Who is going nowhere,” she said as reported by Deadline. Commenting on the partnership with Disney+ on the latest season Phillips said it had been “great” and that it would continue with the spin-off, The War Between The Land And The Sea.
“But going forward,” she continued, “with or without Disney, Doctor Who will still be on the BBC … The Tardis is going nowhere.” Lindsay Salt, the BBC’s Director of Drama also said the broadcaster was “committed to keeping the series alive.
According to figures from Barb, the UK’s official ratings body, season 15, Gatwa’s second outing as The Doctor, averaged 3.2 million viewers over eight episodes. Gatwa’s first spin around the galaxy averaged half a million more. Season 13, fronted by Jodie Whittaker, averaged 4.9 million over the season.
Russell T Davies. (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for BAFTA)
In April, showrunner Russell T Davies was only able to offer his own hope that the show would return. “There’s no decision until after season two,” he said. And in June he wasn’t able to offer much more writing in the Doctor Who Magazine, “We don’t know what’s happening yet.” He added, “Hopefully, we’ll have news soon.”
In February, the BBC hit back at reports that the adored show had been axed due to “abysmal ratings” and poor response to its so-called “woke” plots.
Doctor Who is streaming now on BBC iPlayer and Disney+ internationally.
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