Doctor Who faces uncertain future as BBC puts show out to tender

Matt Brittin, the director-general of the BBC, revealed that Doctor Who is being put 'out to tender,' indicating that the series will be available to other platforms. Following the cancellation of its Christmas special for the second year in a row, the sci-fi program's future remains uncertain. Russell T Davies, who revived the show in 2005, announced his exit in June, mentioning that the show's 'big new future' entails competitive tendering. The 2026 Christmas special, which Davies was set to write and Bad Wolf was to produce, has been scrapped. In May 2025, Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor regenerated into Billie Piper, who portrayed Rose. A BBC representative stated that the cancellation aims to secure the show's long-term future. An animated Doctor Who series for CBeebies is in the works. The original run lasted from 1963 to 1989, featuring actors like Tom Baker, Sylvester McCoy, and William Hartnell, while the revival began in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston, followed by David Tennant, Matt Smith, and Jodie Whittaker. Brittin noted that the show has 'regenerated multiple times in its 60-plus year history' and will continue to do so.