The BBC is no longer going ahead with a “Doctor Who” Christmas special this year as planned and is seeking new production partners.
Showrunner and writer Russell T Davies and producer Bad Wolf have officially exited the series as the BBC puts the show out to competitive tender. “‘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,” a release said on Wednesday.
Therefore, the previously announced Christmas special will also not be going forward. “This decision was not taken lightly, and we know it will be disappointing for fans, 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 to 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,” the release stated.
In a post on Instagram, Davies said goodbye to the show, which he led from 2005 to 2010 and again since 2023 in tandem with BBC’s co-production pact with Disney+. When Ncuti Gatwa departed the role of the Doctor after just two seasons last year, Disney+ exited the partnership and the series’ future has remained uncertain ever since.
