BBC Studios CEO, Tom Fussell, has said the corporation is “really committed” to the future of Doctor Who, noting how big a brand the show is.
“Brand” is, of course, marketing speak for “it makes us money”, and while that might sound weary and sceptical of life, it’s actually a good thing because what makes money does have a future, by and large.
Speaking to Deadline after the publication of the BBC Annual Report, Fussell said that BBC Studios is “really committed to Doctor Who and is continuing to look at ways in which we can bring the show to fans” and further said:
“Fans love the Doctor Who brand. It’s been that way since before I was in short trousers.”
Nonetheless, they’re not committing to future seasons of the programme, aside from the Cbeebies animation that’s due to be screened in a couple of years. This is, it seems, largely due to Disney+ refusing to co-fund more as yet, with the show apparently looking for a new streaming partner. Fussell added:
“They are a crucial partner and we share a lot of the same values so I’m really proud of the way that relationship has worked.”
He wasn’t actually talking about Doctor Who, though — instead, it might’ve been about one of the other franchises on Disney+ like Dancing with the Stars, Tucci in Italy, and “a decade’s worth of natural history.” Or most likely, Bluey — America’s most-streamed show!
So there we have it: the BBC loves Doctor Who; just not enough to commission more series by itself. That’s an oversimplification, since the decision will likely involve lots of legalities and financial data, so T&Cs apply, and all that.
