Former showrunner, Russell T Davies, has confirmed that Doctor Who hasn’t been cancelled; instead, the tender process means, in his opinion, that the show has a long future.

Davies said:

“It’s extraordinary to see newspapers who should know better saying the show has been cancelled. It’s the opposite. It’s been put out to tender, and I understand that’s an industry phrase and people might not understand what a show being put out to tender means.

“Being put out to tender means – and this will happen to every BBC show, it’s happened to Casualty, it’s happened to the weather – it means the programme is pitched to be made by an independent company, as opposed to the BBC.”

The DWC’s very own Scott Varnham explained this whole situation really well over at the Radio Times. Great job, Scott!

Davies continued:

“Independent companies include BBC Studios, by the way – separate to BBC Public Service – so they’re in the running. I imagine. I don’t know, I’m not part of this process, because it’s a very legal process.”

This follows news that Davies and Bad Wolf have left the franchise, and the Christmas special has been cancelled. Or maybe never existed in the first place (pinches of salt to be taken liberally).

(And come on, BBC Studios is definitely in the running!)

It’s understandable that people are sceptical about the show’s future, given that, back in 1989, Doctor Who wasn’t officially cancelled either. Nonetheless, Davies is right: what’s “cancelled” really is the programme in its current form, which many fans might be happy about anyway; readers are likely to be less pleased that Doctor Who is unlikely to be back on our TV screens now for, perhaps, a few years.