It looks like fans of Doctor Who won’t be getting their Christmas special after all.
On Wednesday, the BBC, showrunner Russell T Davies, and production company Bad Wolf announced that they will not be moving forward with the previously announced Christmas episode and that Davies will officially exit the series.
"This decision was not taken lightly, and we knew it will be disappointing for fans," reads the official announcement. "But in order to set the show up for future series, it was decided that rather than bridge the gap with a one-off special, we are choosing to push forward and invest in the long-term future of the show, which ensures that when the TARDIS lands once more, it does so in all its glory."
Davies also posted a heartfelt goodbye to the series on his Instagram: "And so GOODBYE from me to Doctor Who, but HELLO to a big new future for the show, as the BBC announces it's putting the show out to tender. As a result, there won't be a Christmas Special. We only cooked that up to guarantee a future when no one knew what would happen, but now we do know, there's no need for it. You'll have to wait a bit longer for a new 'Doctor Who'... but you'll be waiting for more 'Doctor Who' than a one-off. So it's worth it! For the record: there was no script, I never wrote it, and no actor was ever approached to play the next Doctor."
He continued: "You may disagree; fine, sit in that chair and wait to be proved right. You'll wait a lonnng time. Now, I'm as excited as anyone to see what comes next! Will they keep the theme tune? Will they lose the blue box? Will they bring back the Frahvin?! It's all up for grabs, which is so 'Doctor Who' – exciting, unpredictable, and new! Here comes the future, vworp vworp."
The previously announced Doctor Who animated series, however, remains in production.
Russell T Davies served as showrunner, writer, and executive producer for many seasons of the revived Doctor Who, starting with the first series and the Ninth Doctor, played by Christopher Eccleston. After overseeing Series 4 and writing five specials from 2008 to 2010, he left the show for other projects, including Years & Years and A Very English Scandal.
This news might not be too surprising, especially given the ongoing delay to the Christmas special and the silence from the production team. It may even prove to be a positive move, allowing the series to start fresh and giving the BBC an opportunity to secure a U.S. broadcaster or streaming partner—perhaps even AMC+. While the Disney+ era of Doctor Who was generally received as "okay" and drew mixed reactions, its ratings certainly reflected that uncertainty.
What do you think of the news? Are you surprised? Leave a comment.
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