Latest Doctor Who Update Is Bad News for Fans (Is This the End?)

Doctor Who is not drawing in a lot of viewers, to the point that the long-lived show may actually be in danger. Showrunner Russell T. Davies recently announced that he’s pausing his “production diary” for the series — published in Doctor Who Magazine — while the future is sorted out. It’s an ominous sign, especially as it comes during a time of such upheaval for the series. Doctor Who Season 15 ended with a huge shock last month when the Fifteenth Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, seemingly regenerated as previous companion Rose Tyler (Billie Piper). According to a report by Deadline, the BBC has not officially renewed Doctor Who for another season yet.

“We don’t know what’s happening yet, and while everyone works that out, I’ll take a pause on this page … Hopefully, we’ll have news soon,” Davies wrote in his latest production diary. Messages like these are typically published by Davies whenever the show is in production and when it is airing, but as the next season has not been ordered, there are no production notes to share.

The latest season of Doctor Who saw a marked dip in ratings compared to other recent years, despite its new streaming home on Disney+ in the U.S. According to a report by Deadline, the BBC is likely waiting until it can examine the finale’s streaming ratings 28 days after it airs to get a better picture of fan interest. A spokesperson for the network gave a statement highlighting the show’s recent successes.

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“Doctor Who is the BBC’s biggest drama for the under 35s and remains one of the most popular brands on iPlayer, with over 70 million viewing hours in 2024,” they said.

Whether the future of the show as a whole is in jeopardy, it sounds like Disney is reconsidering its involvement in the production. The conglomerate became a co-producer on the series in addition to making Disney+ its streaming home for the U.S., but that move has not paid dividends as expected. Disney+ has the latest seasons of Doctor Who, but not the years-long back catalog that many nostalgic fans seek out.

This isn’t the first time Doctor Who has been in mortal peril. The original series ran from 1963 until 1989, and was then revived in 2005. Davies himself speculated about the chance of another cancellation late last year, saying he would expect the series to survive in other mediums, and eventually make its way back to the TV.

“Sometimes there might be a pause, and during that pause, the viewers… now will grow up a few years and start writing stories and they’ll bring it back,” he said simply, in an interview on the BBC’s Newsround. It’s unclear if it will come to that, but Davies has promised more news soon. In the meantime, Doctor Who Season 15 is streaming now on Disney+.