BBC Scraps ‘Doctor Who’ Christmas Ep As Russell T. Davis Exits Show

BusinessMediaBBC Scraps ‘Doctor Who’ Christmas Ep As Russell T. Davis Exits ShowByRick Ellis,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. The global media business, from streaming to linear TVFollow AuthorJun 10, 2026, 08:18am EDTThe iconic "Doctor Who" call boxBBC, 2026On Wednesday, the BBC announced it has scrapped the previously scheduled Christmas special and will put Doctor Who out to "competitive tender." That means that it will solicit proposals from production companies interested in taking over the iconic television franchise.The decision comes after a series of setbacks for the show.In October 2025, Disney+ announced it was ending its relationship with the show after partnering on two seasons with the BBC. At the time, the BBC said the show would return with a Christmas special in 2026 penned by showrunner Russell T. Davies.Disney pointed to the cost of the show (and estimated $13 million an episode) as a primary reason for the decision, along with disappointing ratings for the two seasons.Season fifteen also ended on a strange note for fans, when the Fifteenth Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa sacrificed himself to save the baby Poppy, companion Belinda’s (Varada Sethu) daughter. When that happened, he seemed to hand things over to Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), the popular companion to the Ninth (Christopher Eccleston) and Tenth Doctors (David Tennant).Here is the complete text of the BBC announcement:Today we’re announcing an update on plans for the future of Doctor Who.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. 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.After careful consideration, the BBC, Russell T Davies and Bad Wolf have colle...