While Doctor Who has an uncertain future after Disney+ ended its deal with the BBC to bring the Time Lord to streaming (a partnership that led to a much bigger budget than the franchise was accustomed to), showrunner Russell T Davies is penning a Christmas Special.
That will air on the BBC later this year, albeit without a global streaming partner. That likely means fans can expect an episode much smaller in scale than those seen since David Tennant's return in the 60th anniversary episodes. Still, in many ways, the Whoniverse was often at its best, creatively speaking, when it had to get inventive with its limited budget.
Whether Davies sticks around beyond the Christmas Special isn't clear, especially as his return to Doctor Who has received a mixed response. From key creative decisions to so-called "woke" storylines, the man who brought the TARDIS back to our screens in 2005 hasn't received the same warm response this time around.
At the end of Season 2, Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor regenerated into a Sixteenth version that shared the same face as former companion, Rose Tyler (played by Billie Piper). While she wasn't officially introduced as the Doctor, it looked like Piper might be the next Time Lord.
Well, The Sun (via SFFGazette.com), a British tabloid and surprisingly good source for Doctor Who news, is reporting that the actress and singer is not the new Doctor. In fact, "producers are trying to find a new Tardis dweller fast as they are committed to a Christmas special — but have yet to start filming."
An insider told them, "From the moment it was confirmed Ncuti was leaving, bosses have subtly been putting feelers out among the industry for an actor who could play The Doctor. Despite once being one of the most coveted roles in TV, it’s now seen as a bit of a poisoned chalice."
"Anyone taking on the job will want to know if they’re playing it for a one-off festive special or beyond as they’ll want to plan their workload over coming years," the source added.
The BBC refused to comment on the report, but in many ways, this was expected. The fact that Piper wasn't introduced as the new Doctor, combined with Rose's link to the TARDIS, suggested the whole thing might be a misdirect. Now, it will seemingly be down to Davies to resolve that before introducing the true Sixteenth Doctor.
Whether he sticks around beyond that to tell their story isn't clear. Still, the BBC has repeatedly said it remains committed to Doctor Who, even as the show looks to evolve following its failed Disney+ partnership and a steep year-over-year decline in ratings. It's previously been reported that the series could take a break or return for much shorter seasons that are cost-effective for the broadcaster.
Keep checking back here for updates as we have them.