Former Showrunner Reveals the Cause Behind Doctor Who’s Demise
When discussing what went wrong with Doctor Who, many fans online might passionately point fingers at anything that tried to steer the iconic British sci-fi series in a new direction. However, as former showrunner Russell T. Davies reveals, the truth is much more straightforward: it was a failure to act swiftly.
In a passage from his memoir, The Queerest of Folk, Davies reflects on the slow decline of Doctor Who following its ill-fated partnership with Disney, which lasted just two seasons. He shares insights into the efforts made to rescue the show from the brink of disaster, including the controversial decision to have the Fifteenth Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, regenerate into the series’ first companion, Rose Tyler, portrayed by Billie Piper.
One of the most striking revelations from this excerpt is Davies’ assertion that the BBC is largely to blame for Doctor Who’s struggles and its current state of being up for competitive tender. He points to the BBC’s sluggishness as a result of its vast institutional nature, which had to navigate pressures from “press barons” and a “right-wing media” ready to pounce on any misstep.
The departure of key figures, including chief content officer Charlotte Moore—whom Davies regarded as one of Doctor Who’s strongest advocates—further complicated matters. With Disney out of the picture—a partnership that was never a great match—and the BBC dragging its feet, the team behind Doctor Who found themselves in a state of uncertainty. Davies and his crew had already filmed an ending for Gatwa’s character for the second season finale of the Disney revival, where the regeneration occurred without Piper’s appearance, leaving the next Doctor’s identity a mystery.
Concerned that this ambiguity might signal the end of the series, Davies organized a Zoom meeting with BBC executives to advocate for Gatwa to regenerate into Piper instead. Piper was on board, and as Davies notes, “it worked, because everyone paid attention to the show once more.” He didn’t specify whether that attention was largely positive.
Unfortunately, the decision to include Piper didn’t pan out as hoped. While the BBC was keen on a Doctor Who Christmas special—especially after Davies pitched an idea featuring Daleks in a quaint English village—progress remained sluggish. Piper was busy with her role in Wednesday, Davies was occupied with his new project, Tip Toe, and the BBC’s financial woes continued to escalate. This ongoing indecision ultimately led Davies to declare, “enough was enough.” He felt it was pointless to invest heavily in a one-off special before Doctor Who entered a new era through competitive tender.
“This new plan sets the show free,” Davies writes in his memoir. “The future can be planned by a brand-new team. Clean and bold and bright.”
With the next team now tasked with addressing Piper’s return, skepticism remains about whether Doctor Who’s future will be as “clean” as Davies envisions. Nevertheless, with clarity on what led to the show’s decline, fans can adjust their expectations for what lies ahead—especially considering the BBC’s ongoing financial challenges.
