"We Don't Know What's Happening": DOCTOR WHO Showrunner Admits He's Uncertain About The Series' Future

"We Don't Know What's Happening": DOCTOR WHO Showrunner Admits He's Uncertain About The Series' Future

The latest season of Doctor Who ended with a huge cliffhanger and low ratings, and showrunner Russell T Davies has admitted that he's in the dark about where things stand with the iconic sci-fi series.

By JoshWilding - Jun 19, 2025 12:06 PM EST
Filed Under: Doctor Who
Source: Deadline (via SFFGazette.com)

Russell T Davies brought Doctor Who back from the dead in 2005, and following a hugely successful stint as showrunner, he passed the reins to Steven Moffat. That was another win for the long-running sci-fi property, but Chris Chibnall's time in charge was not. 

Doctor Who steadily lost viewers during that period, and when it came time to start over, the BBC turned back to Davies. Unfortunately, his ideas for the show have proven to be divisive, and Ncuti Gatwa's two-season run was a ratings let-down (Disney+ is expected to end its funding/streaming deal with the British broadcaster imminently). 

The season 15/season 2 finale ended with Gatwa's Doctor regenerating into Billie Piper. However, there's reason to believe she isn't the next Time Lord and is likely just a stand-in until the character's real new face is revealed.

In the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine, Davies admitted that he's in the dark when it comes to Doctor Who's future beyond the already-completed The War Between the Land and the Sea spin-off. That isn't generating much in the way of excitement. 

"We don't know what’s happening yet, and while everyone works that out, I’ll take a pause on this page," he wrote. "Hopefully, we’ll have news soon."

"'Doctor Who' will never end!" Davies added. "There are pathways leading to potential futures — we've still got the mystery of that bright and blazing ending, 'Oh, hello,' yes indeed, hello Billie!"

Deadline (via SFFGazette.com) reached out to a Doctor Who source who told the trade, "This letter is a production notes diary for when the show is in production, or on air, and as Russell has stated within the piece, it is a pause." That response isn't surprising because the BBC has been downplaying concerns about the show's future for some time now. 

Addressing those declining ratings, the report adds, "Deadline has analyzed official seven-day viewing figures for Season 15, and it does not make easy reading for those involved in Doctor Who. The season averaged 3.2M viewers over its eight episodes, which was half a million viewers down from last year's season — Gatwa’s first as the Doctor."

"Compare Season 15 to Jodie Whittaker’s last outing as the Time Lord, and things get grimmer. Season 13 pulled in 1.7M more viewers, averaging 4.9M in 2021."

To that, a BBC spokesperson had responded, "Doctor Who is the BBC's biggest drama for the under 35s and remains one of the most popular brands on iPlayer, with over 70 million viewing hours in 2024."

The expectation is that Doctor Who will continue in some form, either with a lower budget or a new partner. Either way, most expect Davies to move on as it feels like the series is in desperate need of a creative overhaul and a fresh start. 

It's unclear when we'll get an official update on what's planned, but we'll keep you updated as we learn more. 

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thedrudo
thedrudo - 6/19/2025, 12:18 PM
I’m betting he won’t be working on this ever again.
TheFinestSmack
TheFinestSmack - 6/19/2025, 12:34 PM
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TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 6/19/2025, 12:37 PM
Honestly , I get their reasoning for it but they should never have marketed this era as being new viewer friendly because it wasn’t to an extent imo

You had villains like Sutekh ,The Rani and Omega as the big bass who haven’t been used since the classic series and thus were were perhaps not even familiar much or at all to NuWho fans even much less first time viewers hence I could see interest drop because of that.

Ultimately I don’t see the show going away since it is still one of if not the BBC’s most popular show but I could see it going back to a reduced budget if it doesn’t find another streaming partner after D+ probably ends it’s partnership.

Anyway I still have liked this era overall (it’s better then Chibnall’s for me which I wasn’t a big fan of tbh) and while I’m still bummed about Ncuti leaving prematurely due to these externals reasons , I do want to see the future adventures that await!!.
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 6/19/2025, 2:35 PM
@TheVisionary25 - Double edged sword as using NuWho big hitters COULD play against new viewers whereas never seen before ones COULD make it feel more a fresh start (even if technicaly NOT new but not seen for over 40yrs).

Anyway feel overall, for me, it was at least the best the show has been since Matt Smith and the Beeb I feel are unlikely to stop making the show cos even if internationaly it underperformed it is still one of the most viewed dramas on traditional TV, typicaly the highest for the BBC. Overall TV viewership is dropping year on year thus ALL UK shows are dropping in ratings and the Beeb is trying to reduce that rate of drop by pushing out stuff that attracts younger audience more so than older demo's and even if old farts are tiring of the Doctor (not all of us) it was still doing better than hoped at key target age ranges in Britain.

A final decision on what to do next was never going to occur until a final decision made by Disney and/or a new deal made with someone else. Till they have that certainty (even if that is returning to doing it on their own again with lower budgets) there was always likely to be a pause (which won't stop RTD and others spinning ideas obviously).
ModernAudience
ModernAudience - 6/19/2025, 12:38 PM
Where were all my modern audience peeps at to keep this afloat? I guess likes , retweets and posturing online doesn't equal views...
asherman93
asherman93 - 6/19/2025, 12:39 PM
I'm not fond of Ncuti leaving so soon, and I do find the seasons rushed, but that doesn't mean I want the show to end! Not when we were about to get a proper return of Susan!
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 6/19/2025, 12:41 PM
@asherman93 - agreed.

I really wish we could have gotten the alternate ending they had shot before Ncuti decided to leave due to the shows unclear future…

It seemed to set up Susan having a bigger role next season which could have been fun!!.

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Apophis71
Apophis71 - 6/19/2025, 2:37 PM
@TheVisionary25 - If nothing else they need at some point to do a special resolving what happened to Susan if nothing else but still expect at some point in some way they will move forward with a new season of the show even if we have to wait a couple years for it.
1stDalek
1stDalek - 6/19/2025, 6:56 PM
@asherman93 - Same! Given Carol Ann-Fords age I hope we can get a proper regeneration story in the audios (so Ford can perform the scene) and we can continue whatever story was building up later on with the 2nd Susan.
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 6/19/2025, 1:03 PM
Waste of an actual good lead and companion.
LibraMatter
LibraMatter - 6/19/2025, 2:00 PM
As much as I have enjoyed Dr. Who, I think they should just cal it or have this season as a farewell to give it a proper ending. I have really liked that they have tried to keep things fresh and modern but the show has been getting stale for so long. Having Piper as the doctor for the last season and somehow tying up whatever some old storylines would be ideal. Maybe visiting Amy and Rory, somehow putting Clara into a human form and just giving out happy conclusions for our favorite characters would be sweet.
1stDalek
1stDalek - 6/19/2025, 8:10 PM
@LibraMatter - Going back to do a run of "good old days" episodes could end up feeling regressive, rather than celebratory. The show is just too old (41 tv seasons!) and if you just go back to help Clara, the Pond's, Peri, Yates, Jaime-Zoe, or Susan, in the end there will always be a contingent of the fandom left asking why not bring that reverence to their favorite era or character? As there's just not enough space to do everyone, plus the whole growing group of fans that will just be confused as you inevitably cover characters that they never watched or grew up with, which could be everyone for a person that started watching with Whittaker or later, and never went back.

IMO the way to end it is the same way Season 26 ended. A note of looking ahead and adventures to come is the way to do it! it is a kid's show after all.
LibraMatter
LibraMatter - 6/19/2025, 8:36 PM
@1stDalek - That’s true, but if you leave it at “there are still many adventures upon us” then zoom off, it leaves things open-ended. They should just kill the timelord with also the understanding that there would be no more regenerations. Also in a blaze of glory.
1stDalek
1stDalek - 6/19/2025, 6:53 PM
Before moving forward again the show needs a proper rethink about the power structure behind it, the show-runner has had too much power to the detriment of the show since the 2005 revival. And I mean specifically in the script stages: it's long past time to get a proper writers room and have someone who can say no to bad scripts the show-runner submits. Chibnall and RTD shouldn't be writing nearly whole seasons by themselves!

I wouldn't mind if RTD stays around, but he needs someone that can veto his worst impulses and ideas. Seriously how did Space Babies get made? or replacing Shirley with a child soldier in the Series 14 finale?
Radders
Radders - 6/20/2025, 9:05 AM
I'd say bin everyone currently involved, give it a rest for a few years and find people who care about it rather than seeing it as a platform

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