In the words of David Tennant’s version of the Doctor: What? What!!? WHAT. As confirmed by Russell T Davies on Instagram, and reported by Deadline and other outlets, Doctor Who will not return in 2026 for the previously promised 2026 Christmas special. No new Doctor is being announced this year, and Davies is stepping down as showrunner (again). In short, Doctor Who is headed back into the wilderness for a hiatus, which, for now, is indefinite. The flipside of this development is that the BBC is putting the series out to “competitive tender,” which means, like the now-defunct Disney+ partnership, the BBC is looking for a new producing partner to reboot the TARDIS for the future.
“As part of securing the next phase of the show for future generations, and in line with the BBC’s Charter and Agreement requirements, the BBC will put Doctor Who out to competitive tender this year,” a statement from the BBC read, according to Deadline. “Doctor Who remains an important part of the BBC, and this tender underpins the BBC’s continued commitment to Doctor Who, ensuring audiences will enjoy the show for years to come.”
