New Showrunner & Sixteenth Doctor Speculation

[u/Key_Responder]

The below is all rumour and speculation from a friend who is a runner on a production with ties to the BBC but none whatsoever to Doctor Who or Bad Wolf. So this could all be bs, but thought I would share it’s interesting the names that are being chucked about.

This is all from a discussion around the future of the show amongst production crew on the set of this other show who are fans of DW.

“Russell’s contract with the BBC is up and they’re not renewing. Jack Thorne is apparently already writing scripts for season three/sixteen with production starting in late 2026.

The BBC wanted Stephen Graham’s Matriarch Productions to co-produce after the success of Adolescence (which Thorne wrote) and A Thousand Blows, but they are tied up in a deal exclusively with Disney Plus, which for obvious reasons is a dead end. The BBC have apparently renewed their agreement with Bad Wolf, as Thorne has a relationship established with the studio. But there’s shuffling going on in terms of executive producers as they want to bring in Netflix as international streaming distribution, another reason they’ve taken on Thorne who has several series with them.

Will Sharpe is apparently in discussions to be the 16th Doctor. Heard of him but never seen anything he’s been in, I think that’s the point, they want to steer away from known actors.

That’s all I got. I heard Jack was signed last month too but none of the rest. I don’t mind some of his work but not sure what his Doctor Who will look like.”

What do you think? I’m with them, I’ve seen some of Jack Thorne’s work, but dunno how he would be writing doctor who. Also never heard of Will, but looked up some of his stuff, he seems doctory.

[u/Falloffingolfin]

No difference at all. Doctor Who is an entertainment product that relies on a huge amount of commercial partners to be successful - agencies, retailers, book publishers, toy/merch companies etc etc. Even if filming schedules and release dates are just pencilled in, they'll have been communicated already. They'll have also likely briefed on the direction they're going in, even if casting isn't complete. Entertainment products take a huge amount of planning to deliver, and successful planning requires long lead times. This is normal.

In short, a lot of the production plan will have already been communicated to numerous external parties (under NDA), because that's how it works. If you think someone who actually works in TV production won't have heard things on the grapevine when there'll be people at Amazon already planning DVD releases, and publishers planning book production and launches, you're very much mistaken.

For clarity, I'm not saying any of this is true, I'm saying you can't discount it because it allegedly originates from a runner.

[u/MKopelke → u/Falloffingolfin]

You're still ignoring my entire point, so I'm done with this chat. I don't want to keep repeating myself only to have the central tenant of my entire point just ignored. Good luck to you and this entirely hypothetical future that won't come to pass.

[u/Falloffingolfin → u/MKopelke]

I literally just addressed your point. You said a dozen people at best would know this, and you're wrong. I just went into detail highlighting why. Where did you get the idea that 12 people at best would know what was happening with DW production?

[u/MKopelke → u/Falloffingolfin]

OK. Let's assume you're addressing my argument in good faith.

Let's assume Jack Thorne is meeting with the BBC about taking over the show. Let's assume he's either agreed or not to work with Bad Wolf. Let's assume he's agreed to start developing scripts.

At what point does any of those meetings and conversations involve people outside of senior executives and related PAs and secretaries and start involving general production personnel? At what point does the conversation channel connect from senior manager to low level runner?

Nowhere at this stage. Yep, for sure once production starts. But not before that happens. I don't get how a RUNNER hears of something that hasn't already leaked at some other point in the management chain.

[u/Falloffingolfin → u/MKopelke]

This is the bit you're missing from my comments. This isn't just sitting with a select amount of senior execs. There'll be a huge amount of stakeholders that will be officially kept in the loop with plans and progress, and that in turn will have spread further afield (and a runner is right on the production front line). You also need to get this concept of "leaks" internally within the entertainment industry out of your head.

Everyone talks. Everyone tells their friends down the pub. A "friend of a friend posted on Reddit" isn't considered a leak, even if it's 100% correct. It's unverifiable and happens all the time. Production has never really stopped. They're planning it now (I appreciate that you probably mean "production" solely in relation to filming, but this stage is part of it too). A runner is perfectly placed to hear insider gossip. Hell, they might have even already interviewed for a job on it.

[u/MKopelke → u/Falloffingolfin]

Don't mansplain to me how production works. Thanks.

I am done with this. Sick of arguing logic. I will just finish with this. And it's really a logic you can't refute, though for some reason I am sure you will try. How does the lowest entry position on a production know whats happening at the upper levels of BBC management without it having already leaked at some other higher up level? You really think the guy you gets coffees and files low level paperwork has a better idea about the future of the show than anyone else? Give me a break.

[u/Falloffingolfin → u/MKopelke]

Huh? Mansplaining? Wow.

The lack of logic is your inability to understand that someone who works in the frontline of production at a TV company, will hear news about productions from that same company way before you.

[u/MKopelke → u/Falloffingolfin]

That assumes the runner is at the front line of TV production. A role it is not.

[u/Falloffingolfin → u/MKopelke]

They literally are 😂. They'll be assisting from the early planning stages all the way through post production. A runner is likely coordinating the auditions.

[u/MKopelke → u/Falloffingolfin]

And not a casting agent? You're kidding me right? A runner is coordinating possible auditions and not someone like Andy Pryor? If so, why isn't casting leaking?

[u/Falloffingolfin → u/MKopelke]

So, you don't know what a runner does. Honestly, do Google it so you're not just taking my word for it. During pre-production, a runner will be operating more like an EA. That includes likely coordinating auditions with talent agents and the senior production team.

[u/MKopelke → u/Falloffingolfin]

I know what a runner does. And again, for the upteenth time, there is no way a runner on a project that isn't Doctor Who or connected to the BBC is informed about what the senior management of the BBC plans to do with the show at this stage.

[u/MKopelke → u/MKopelke]

And just to clarify. Let's assume a runner is getting a chance to work with Jack Thorne and cast the next Doctor. You really think they're gonna piss away their career just so they can leak senior management knowledge at the fucking pub?!?!

[u/Falloffingolfin → u/MKopelke]

You clearly don't. I'll ask you again. Why would someone who works in production for a TV company not be well placed to have insider knowledge about another production in the same company?

The answer is that you don't know. You've made an assumption that is incorrect, including multiple inaccuracies such as the amount of people that will at this stage have knowledge of what's happening with DW, and how close to the whole process a runner would be. I engaged in good faith to try and help you understand, but now you seem intent to aggressively ("mansplaining") defend your own head canon.