The BBC says that, with or without Disney’s involvement, it remains committed to the “Doctor Who” franchise.
Kate Phillips, the BBC’s new chief content officer, has appeared at the Edinburgh TV Festival and aimed to shoot down concerns and speculation about the franchise’s future:
“Rest assured, Doctor Who is going nowhere. Disney has been a great partnership – and it continues with The War Between The Land And The Sea next year – but going forward, with or without Disney, Doctor Who will still be on the BBC … The TARDIS is going nowhere.”
In addition, the BBC’s director of scripted programming Lindsay Salt says that the corporation was ‘committed’ to “Doctor Who” and pointed out that it continues to perform well with young viewers.
The comments, however, will likely not quell any of the speculation or concerns over the franchise, as plunging ratings and weak reviews have many expecting Disney+ to pull out of its co-production deal with the BBC.
Showrunner Russell T Davies said in June that “we don’t know what’s happening yet” regarding Doctor Who’s future beyond Ncuti Gatwa’s confirmed exit from the role.
Source: Deadline
