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BBC cancels Doctor Who Christmas special as show goes to tender

From The Guardian · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • The BBC has canceled the Doctor Who Christmas special, citing a collective decision with showrunner Russell T Davies and producer Bad Wolf.
  • The broadcaster will put the long-running sci-fi series out to competitive tender as part of its Royal Charter agreement.
  • This decision aims to focus on the show's long-term future, with Davies stating there will be more Doctor Who content in the future than a one-off special.

The BBC has abandoned plans for a Doctor Who Christmas special, a decision made collectively with showrunner Russell T Davies and producer Bad Wolf. This move comes as the broadcaster prepares to put the iconic sci-fi series out to "competitive tender" under its Royal Charter agreement.

After careful consideration, the BBC, Russel T Davies and Bad Wolf have collectively decided not to go ahead with the previously announced Doctor Who Christmas episode.

— BBCThe BBC's official statement announcing the cancellation of the Christmas special.

The broadcaster acknowledged the news would disappoint fans, who have come to expect a festive Doctor Who episode. Previous Christmas specials have served as a traditional platform for introducing new Doctors, with Ncuti Gatwa making his full debut as the 15th Doctor in 2023, and earlier instances including David Tennant and Jodie Whittaker.

Davies explained on Instagram that the Christmas special was conceived to secure the show's future during a period of uncertainty. With that future now more assured, the special is no longer deemed necessary. He assured fans that while they will have to wait longer for a new Doctor, the forthcoming content will be more substantial than a single episode.

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.

— Russell T DaviesShowrunner Russell T Davies's statement on Instagram regarding his departure and the show's future.

Davies also clarified that no script was written, and no actor was approached for the role of the next Doctor, addressing speculation. He expressed excitement for the show's future, posing questions about potential changes to the theme tune, the TARDIS, and the return of specific elements like the Drahvin.

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.

— Russell T DaviesDavies explaining the rationale behind the cancellation of the Christmas special.

The shake-up occurs amidst a turbulent period for Doctor Who, marked by Disney+'s ended co-production deal, Gatwa's departure, and fluctuating viewing figures. Despite these challenges, the BBC maintains its commitment to commissioning new episodes and confirmed that a new Doctor Who animation series for CBeebies is in production.

For the record: there’s no script, I never wrote it, and no actor was ever approached to play the next Doctor.

— Russell T DaviesDavies addressing speculation about a script and casting for the cancelled special.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Guardian in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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