The executive producer of Doctor Who has sharply rebuked recent “rude” comments from a former writer who suggested the show was now “as dead as we’ve ever known it” during its current production break.
Jane Tranter, co-founder of Bad Wolf, the production company behind Doctor Who, stated that the former writer’s remark was “really untrue.” She added that fans would simply “wait patiently to see” when the series makes its eventual return and how it will “change” at that time.
During an interview with BBC Radio Wales, Tranter was asked to address the recent statements by Robert Shearman, a writer known for the classic 2005 episode “Dalek” and several Doctor Who novels.
Shearman’s comments, made earlier in the month, coincided with a period of significant uncertainty for Doctor Who. This follows a mixed reception to the show’s recent seasons and the sudden departure of lead actor Ncuti Gatwa, whose final scenes reportedly required extensive reshoots.
Specifically, Shearman had highlighted the surprising return of Billie Piper, a former Doctor Who actress, in the final moments of the series’ most recent finale. This last-minute addition by showrunner Russell T Davies, presenting Piper’s character as a new, ambiguously defined incarnation of the Doctor, has, according to Shearman, left the franchise in narrative limbo until further explanation.
Responding directly to Shearman’s assessment, Tranter stated, “That’s really rude, actually. And really untrue.” She clarified the show’s current status: “The plans for Doctor Who are really simply this: the BBC and BBC Studios had a partnership with Disney+ for 26 episodes. We are currently 21 episodes down into that 26-episode run. We have got another five episodes of [spin-off] The War Between The Land And The Sea to come.”
Tranter concluded by stating, “At some point after that, decisions will be made together with all of us about what the future of Doctor Who entails.”
To elaborate on Tranter’s comments, fans have long been aware that Disney’s initial agreement for Doctor Who included two main series seasons and the forthcoming UNIT-centric spin-off, The War Between The Land And The Sea (already filmed but not yet aired).
However, the current description of this deal suggests that Doctor Who was always scheduled for this production break. This stands in stark contrast to showrunner Russell T Davies’ 2023 promise of “annual Doctor Who, no gap years, lots of content, on and on and on.”
Given the lack of information regarding the air date for The War Between The Land And The Sea, and with further decisions on Doctor Who’s future pending its release, a new season arriving next year appears increasingly improbable.
Adding to the concern, Tom Spilsbury, former editor of the official Doctor Who Magazine, previously speculated that the series might even remain off-air until the end of the decade if Disney chooses not to extend its current deal, necessitating a search for new production partners.
In July, Spilsbury wrote, “I suspect the show will indeed come back at some point, but as of right now, nothing is commissioned and nothing is guaranteed. Those are the facts. Time will tell, of course, but I don’t get the sense of much optimism for anything very soon from anyone I’ve spoken to.”
He further elaborated, “Everything is moving much more slowly in television at the moment. On the assumption that Disney doesn’t renew before its option officially expires, that will be the point when the BBC can start to shop the show around. And that process could take a fair bit of time – it may require more than one partner just to raise the money needed.”
Months later, Tranter reiterated that fans must remain patient for future updates, hinting that “change” would be a defining characteristic of the next Doctor Who era.
“It’s a 60-year-old franchise,” she concluded. “It’s been going for 20 years nonstop since we brought it back in 2005 [when I worked at the BBC]. You would expect it to change, wouldn’t you? Nothing continues the same always, or it shouldn’t continue the same always. So it will change in some form or another. But the one thing we can all be really clear of is that the Doctor will be back and everyone, including me, including all of us, just has to wait patiently to see when — and who.”