If all you wanted for Christmas was a new “Doctor Who” special, we’ve got some bad news for you: the BBC, showrunner Russell T Davies, and Bad Wolf announced Wednesday that they will not be moving forward with the previously announced Christmas episode. In addition, Davies is officially exiting the series.
“This decision was not taken lightly, and we know it will be disappointing for fans,” reads the official announcement, “but in order to set the show up for future series, it was decided that rather than bridge the gap with a one-off special, we are choosing to push forward to invest in the long-term future of the show which ensures that when the TARDIS lands once more, it does so in all its glory.”
Davies also posted a lengthy and heartfelt goodbye to the series on his Instagram page.
“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,” he wrote. “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. You’ll have to wait a bit longer for new ‘Doctor Who’… but you’ll be waiting for MORE ‘Doctor Who’ than a one-off. So it’s worth it! For the record: there was no script, I never wrote it, and no actor was ever approached to play the next Doctor.”
He continued: “You may disagree; fine, sit in that chair and wait to be proved right. You’ll wait a lonnng time. Now I’m as excited as anyone to see what comes next! Will they keep the theme tune? Will they lose the blue box? Will they bring back the Drahvin?! It’s all up for grabs, which is so ‘Doctor Who,’ exciting and unpredictable, and new! Here comes the future, vworp vworp.”
The previously announced “Doctor Who” animation series, however, remains in production.
Davies leaving ‘Doctor Who’ is a big deal
Russell T Davies served as showrunner, writer, and executive producer of many “Doctor Who” revival seasons, beginning with its first season and ninth Doctor Christopher Eccleston. After helming Season 4 and writing five specials between 2008-2010, he stepped away from the series and worked on projects like “Years & Years,” “A Very English Scandal,” a TV film adaptation of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “It’s a Sin,” and more.
He returned to the franchise in 2023, in time to welcome the fourteenth Doctor (played by David Tennant, who also served as the tenth Doctor), and also ushered in the fifteenth Doc played by “Sex Education” star Ncuti Gatwa.
Davies’ other credits include the “Doctor Who” spin-off “Torchwood,” “The Sarah Jane Adventures,” and the 2025 miniseries “The War Between the Land and the Sea.”
Are you sad to see Davies leave “Doctor Who” for good? What are your hopes for the future of the franchise? Sound off in the comments.
