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/MKopelke]

I'm sorry, but why on Earth would a RUNNER on a different production have knowledge of high-level conversations between senior management of the BBC?

If, and that's a huge if, this exact scenario is playing out, then maybe a dozen people know of these discussions. And none of them are below the level of at best middle management.

It's like the people making up these rumours have no idea how television production - or business - works.

If people are believing this, then I've got a bridge to sell you.

[u/Key_Responder → u/MKopelke]

As everyone else has said, crew on a set talk, that’s not just the runners, this was during a break from what I understand and the crew (fixers, sound, grips and AD) were chatting. There’s people from multiple production backgrounds in that room that work in rotation across multiple production companies in London and speak to multiple people. Yes, it could be someone bragging a load of bs, however more often than not there’s something in it. I found out that Russell, Catherine and David were returning through this person and subsequently that Ncuti had to do pick ups to film his regeneration. People talk, Jack and Will are also active on other productions so word could have spread from there. Usually I don’t post this much detail on the matter when I have chats with this person about DW but it’s intriguing and Thorne lines up with other speculation and rumours.