Former showrunner, Steven Moffat, has reaffirmed that Doctor Who will return to screens at some point, as production teams are likely “lining up” to bring the franchise back.

Speaking on The Peter Purves Podcast (yes, that Peter Purves — First Doctor companion, Steven Taylor), Moffat assured anxious fans:

“There are already people lining themselves up to try and get the show. [I’m not sure about] the timing of it… and I really, genuinely would not wish to rush anyone.”

Nonetheless, he knows it will return, as he added:

“Do I think it will come back? I know it will. It will be absolutely fine. It’s too big. It’s a monster of a show.”

This all comes following the news that Russell T Davies has left the show alongside production team, Bad Wolf, meaning Doctor Who is soon being “put out to tender” — basically, other production crews, very likely including BBC Studios, can pitch to take on the franchise. It happens a lot with other programmes. We don’t, however, know when it’s being put out to tender: the BBC says they’ll announce details in due course, so for now, everyone is just thrumming their fingers.

Either way, rumours of its cancellation are greatly exaggerated.

What has been cancelled is the Christmas special we were all assured would happen this year; Davies instead said the script was never written, but the jury is out.

Still, Moffat’s got Doctor Who‘s back and he’s a titan of the televisual landscape, so we trust him a huge amount.

(Thanks to Peter Shaw.)