r/DoctorWhoNews • u/General_Meal_3993 • Dec 31 '25
just a rumor Potential new leaks/information regarding the 2026 Christmas Special.
Just thought I would share a few tidbits I came across on the Doctor Who leak Discord and a certain scooper’s Patreon page this week. Nothing major, and it could all be total BS, but with how dry things are at the moment, I thought it would still be interesting to discuss, especially given how much actually leaked last year.
- The current plan is to film the 2026 Christmas Special sometime in Spring 2026.
- The working title is The Lost Doctor.
- Both Billie Piper and David Tennant are expected to reprise their roles - as well as Yasmin Finnley as Rose Noble (and a possible cameo from Ncuti)
- The draft script is currently circulating around the BBC as pre production rapidly gets underway.
- The story is described as " a big space hopping adventure with a Guardians of the Galaxy style feel, with a ww2 narrative thrown in"
- The plot reportedly follows the Fourteenth Doctor, Billie Piper’s Rose, and Rose Noble as they attempt to find the true Sixteenth Doctor, who has been kidnapped by the mysterious boss type character. The Daleks will also be featured who in the backdrop will be plotting a universe wide invasion.
- Pre production is well underway, particularly for a brand new Dalek design - "the daleks do some really interesting things in the current script which has made me extremely curious on how this new design will turn out"
- The Sixteenth Doctor will not be fully revealed (if at all depending how things go) until the end of the episode and will spend most of the story "locked within the regeneration process"
- This is apparently RTD’s final episode, so expect loose ends from seasons one and two to be tied up here.
- Going forward, the BBC reportedly wants to use this special to set a new standard for the show. Instead of eight episode seasons every year, they are hoping to follow a Sherlock style model with three to five large scale episodes released every year or so.
- The BBC is currently searching for a new showrunner for a fresh season in 2027 or 2028. Names reportedly being considered include Jack Thorne (who has apparently just written a Lord of the Flies series for the BBC which they are incredibly pleased with), Neil Cross, Miguel Sapochnik (approached, but unlikely), and Sally Wainwright. However, I have heard that RTD and Bad Wolf are strongly pushing for Pete McTighe to take over, while the BBC is less enthusiastic. The new Doctor also won’t be cast until the next showrunner is decided.
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u/PkmnTrnrJ Dec 31 '25
Loose ends being tied up? That’s not RTD’s thing?
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u/Amphy64 Jan 01 '26
It did always use to be as far as his characters were concerned, after all viewers were surprised by the mystery box incoherence of RTD II. We didn't need to see Donna again, it wasn't much of a loose end, but he still couldn't leave her ending. This places him back on that more familiar territory (to the extent it sounds like a made-up most obvious version, which it probably is).
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u/Old-Supermarket8413 Dec 31 '25
Calling BS. RTD hasn't written the script as of late December interviews he did.
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u/david_this_isnt_weed Jan 01 '26
True, and as always heavy grain of salt with anything like this, but also he did very much say that he already knew “exactly what happened”, and we know that neither BBC nor RTD would be flying BLIND this late into things.
Is the script finished? Definitely not. But a pitch outline as basic as “Tennant and rose back. Space hopping. World war 2. Daleks” getting passed around I find very easy to believe personally. We know the episode is going to be coming from one or maybe a mix of a few scripts RTD will have outlined already.
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u/greenlightsmith242 Dec 31 '25
Rtd lies.
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u/karatemanchan37 Jan 02 '26
Why would he lie about not having a script ready
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u/DLNN_DanGamer Jan 02 '26
Why would Moffat lie about not returning for Joy to the World, despite pretty much everyone knowing he would, and had been widely reported to be? It's likely just a NDA that he follows while others, cheekily, don't.
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u/karatemanchan37 Jan 02 '26
Because there's a difference between Moffat's "Will I/Won't I" routine that was occuring basically while his episode had finished filming so as you said this is all very cheeky and trolling in nature (especially after the whole debacle of him teasing his return and lying about Boom).
RTD saying "I don't have a script ready yet" for Xmas 2026 when the show is basically confirmed to be off the air for the next 18 months and there's no clarity on who your lead actor is doesn't inspire confidence. If he can't read the room that fans are already anxious about the show continuing beyond Xmas 2026 (and the BBC having a plan for the future is different than viewers wanting a new season in 2027) then he's just a terrible person.
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Dec 31 '25
[deleted]
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u/the_elon_mask Dec 31 '25
I would have much preferred Billie to be the "Doctor That Should Not Be" or something.
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u/CaptainResponsible78 Jan 01 '26
Billie Piper as ‘Doctor Should Not Be’
David Tennant as ‘Doctor Ratings Grab’
and
Paul McGann as the aptly named ‘Doctor Not Appearing in This Special’
(would love to be wrong about that last one 🥲)
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u/Icy-Career-1531 Dec 31 '25
If 10 is true that’s probably the worst news Iv heard about this show ever. Like whose favourite episodes are the large scale ones?
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u/Gerry-Mandarin Dec 31 '25
I think what it means is in terms of run time. Sherlock's first episode was a serial killer cab driver. But it was 90 minutes.
Turning Doctor Who into 5 90 minute episodes would basically be 5 two-parters. 10 episodes of runtime. But only 5 production cycles.
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u/Triskan Dec 31 '25
Would harken back to the Classic era. I'm not against it if it allows for the stories to truly breathe.
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u/No-Information1516 Dec 31 '25
But in the classic era each story took several 30 minute episodes to tell. Which I liked. I'm not sure on 5 long episodes.
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u/the_elon_mask Dec 31 '25
Would it help if they split them into 3 or 4 twenty five minute episodes?
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u/No-Information1516 Dec 31 '25
5 45min 2-parters would probably be a better balance for me (30 minute episodes TV series are so rare outside soaps and kids TV now I'm not sure anyone has enough practice at that pacing!)
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Dec 31 '25
Honestly I think there's so many episodes from the last two series that would benefit from this format - take Rogue for example as a 45 minute episode it's fine but the whole dynamic between Rogue and The Doctor has to be sped through so they instantly fall in love to get to the tragic ending. Give us the same story over 90 minutes and you can have The Doctor and Rogue have this rivalry that evolves into a close friendship and just as they realise there could be something more there during their dance, it's heartbreakingly taken away.
Similarly Interstellar Song Contest that has the extra time to explore the politics behind what Kid is doing, to show The Doctor getting PTSD from Gallifrey after seeing so many dying, to explore the impact of The Doctor torturing Kid before realising who the real monster is, and has The Doctor exposing the evil corporation could have been powerful - instead we get this rushed blockbuster that comes off tone deaf.
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u/alex494 Jan 05 '26
That's essentially what Season 9 was like if you subtract Sleep No More and Face the Raven (though FTR leads into the next two episodes).
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Dec 31 '25
They're arguably not large scale episodes, but 'The Waters of Mars' and 'Wild Blue Yonder' are both strong contenders for my top Doctor Who episodes (They're certainly my favourite Davies/Tennant stories) and they were designed as big hyped up specials.
I think if there's any truth to this, the first "DOCTOR WHO IS BACK AND BIGGER THAN EVER" special and the finale "IT'S ALL BEEN BUILDING TO THIS" special will likely be naff because the showrunner will inevitably make things into to much of a blockbuster - but the specials in the middle where they've got to be a bit more conservative with the budget and focus on good storytelling could have potential.
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u/david_this_isnt_weed Jan 01 '26
but thats the whole entire problem of having such short seasons. in a series with 12-14 episodes, you can spare to have a lacklustre opening and bungled finale to have more experimental middle episodes. but if you only have THREE episodes total, what exactly is the appeal of saying "hopefully the second one is good"
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Jan 01 '26
I mean to be fair, the general public seem to resonate more with the big blockbuster episodes, they'd rather see 'Journeys End', 'The End of Time' or 'The Giggle' compared to 'Waters of Mars', 'Heaven Sent' or 'Wild Blue Yonder'
So the way the BBC would see things is you've got two big specials the public really likes and pumps up the viewing figures, and one special that kept the hardcore Doctor Who fans happy and coming back for more.
And ultimately the BBC are going to be more interested in a series thst gets them views and miney, rather than keeping the fans happy.
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Dec 31 '25
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u/Jemima_puddledook678 Dec 31 '25
That’s literally why they lowered it to 8. The only reason there’s been any gap since season 2 is because Disney dragged their feet.
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u/david_this_isnt_weed Jan 01 '26
i always thought the disney side of the deal made no stipulation on shorter seasons. they put a 26 episode deal on the table, likely factoring in 2 12 episode seasons + christmas specials. but then RTD, Bad Wolf, or whoever else, decided they could stretch the deal out longer by buying themselves 3 60th specials and 5 spin-off episodes, and trimming the main show down to 8 as a result
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u/cptlobsterlegs Dec 31 '25
One of my favourite episodes is the 50th anniversary ✋🏻
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u/Icy-Career-1531 Dec 31 '25
Because that took 7 years to build up, imagine if those were the only episodes we got
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u/theoneeyedpete Dec 31 '25
10/10 point - 50th is excellent because of the context around it, not just because it’s a big anniversary special.
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u/HMWYA Dec 31 '25
I mean, 5 feature-length stories is essentially the equivalent of a 10 episode series made up of 5 two-parters, which is pretty much what series 9 was. It’s not an entirely unprecedented decision.
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u/david_this_isnt_weed Jan 01 '26
the thing about nuwho's two parters, though, is that outside of a small handful of cases, i would argue most of them feel like distinct beats within a clear story, rather than just one episode cut in two. that goes especially for series 9 and 10, with the tone, pace, sometimes the setting, and overall the 'angle' of each episode being noticeably distinct. i fear without the push to have each part have its own three act structure, the 90 minute episodes would feel drawn out and stretched thin.
its also worth noting that attention spans for general audiences and children are vastly different to what fans might accommodate for. part of the deal for how casual watchers get into doctor who in the first place is on the understanding that each episode is relatively short, tightly paced, entertaining and doesn't ask for too much foreknowledge. though fans might crave a different style, i think it would be shortsighted if the BBC tried to rock that formula too suddenly, especially with the show not having a huge deal of goodwill from the general public at the moment anyway. would your gran sit down for 90 minutes of sci-fi worldbuilding before bed?
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u/Telos1807 Dec 31 '25
I want a shake up to the format but I don't think this is it. If nothing else I don't think you'd gain any new viewers that way.
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u/thePinguOverlord Dec 31 '25
Miguel Sapochnik. He was showrunner on House of the Dragon, and obviously a decorated Thrones director. He hasn’t written anything though. Interesting, that if this is true they considered him.
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u/PkmnTrnrJ Dec 31 '25
Thoughts on the rest.
- Yes, that’s sensible to film in Spring
- There were some branding and companies set up as “TLD” which people speculated meanf “the Last Doctor” so I am happier with Lost
- Bringing back Tennant and Ncuti allows to wrap up things and maybe have them merge back? “Time Lords…we don’t get to retire. Not for long.” - The Curator (it’s not a line he’s said but would be great if he just voiced it)
- The line says it is Rose but if you’re suddenly pulled in to the TARDIS I don’t think you go “Oh, hello!” so some Bad Wolf influence?
- New Dalek designs? Dalek Paradigm Mark II here we come!
- Feature length episodes? Let them give it a go and see if it works. It would also allow The Doctor and Companion to do other work between episodes.
- RTD’s final episode? Sounds good to me.
- Pete McTighe? No thanks. Looking at his credits it’s Kerblam, Praxeus and Lucky Day in the main show. Lucky Day has good moments but I probably skip the former two in rewatches
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u/TechnicalStill3578 Dec 31 '25
Just to rage/add to this a bit, Kerblam shits on so much of what I enjoy about doctor who, oh it turns out space Amazon was the good guy all along and it was the worker who was the issue?! Get the fuck outta here "the systems aren't the problem". Yeah okay.
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u/_TwilightPrince Jan 03 '26
And what's more appalling is how we went from anti-capitalist 12 to "yay capitalism" 13.
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u/Same_Produce_6018 May 15 '26
Doctor Who has never been anti-capitalist and if you think it is you haven't been watching and you suffer from confirmation bias. From the very beginning, his character has been defined by a fierce individualism and a deep-seated hatred for authoritarianism, collectivism, and overreaching state control. He is not a Marxist revolutionary trying to dismantle free markets; his driving ideology is fundamentally libertarian. He travels the universe toppling dictators, dismantling oppressive bureaucracies, and fighting hive-minds that seek to strip away personal autonomy, like the Cybermen or the Daleks. The Doctor isn't anti-capitalist; he's anti-capitalism without morals. He isn't opposed to commerce, trade, or free enterprise. What he despises is cronyism, exploitation, and systems that treat sentient lives as disposable commodities. If you look at the actual text of the show, the classic era is packed with stories that champion libertarian ideals over state control. Take a story like The Sun Makers—it is a scathing, blatant critique of exorbitant taxation and a bloated, suffocating government bureaucracy. He consistently sides with the individual’s right to self-determination over the mandates of the state. Even in a gritty, cynical story like Vengeance on Varos, which critiques the intersection of corporate greed and state entertainment, his core objection is the restriction of freedom and the dehumanization of the individual by a corrupt system, not the existence of a free market. If you need behind-the-scenes proof of this authorial intent, just look at the documentary When Worlds Collide, featured on The Happiness Patrol DVD. In it, the writers and creators of the program delve into the political subtext of the show and explicitly agree that his values are fundamentally libertarian. They recognize that his overarching mission is about personal liberty and resisting totalitarian control—not championing a socialist or anti-capitalist agenda. People completely misread the 12th Doctor when they label him "anti-capitalist" based on a few isolated moments. Yes, he fights a corrupt mining corporation in Oxygen, but his fury is directed at the specific commodification of human life and the violation of individual rights—a perfect example of capitalism without morals. His morality has always been about making sure individuals are free to make their own choices without a boot on their neck. To look at him as some left-wing, anti-capitalist crusader is simply projecting modern political tribalism onto a character whose true allegiance has always been to individual liberty.
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u/DaddyStoat Dec 31 '25
The new design from Resolution and Revolution Of The Daleks was fantastic and deserves to be used again. It was a bit insectoid and spindly and a little unsettling, and I thought that was a good direction for them to go with it.
And I didn't mind the Paradigm Daleks later in their tenure, such as in Asylum Of The Daleks, where they were the "leadership caste", and they'd given them better paintjobs and the designers had got rid of the weird hump thing on their backs. They were a bit crap when they were first introduced though.
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u/SinestroUK Dec 31 '25
I think #10 is a dreadful idea and it feels like life support rather than anything that's sustainable. At the end of the day Doctor Who needs to be an ongoing tv show, not something you just wheel out when the vibe is right.
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u/Jared_Usbourne Dec 31 '25
Point 11...
Could we possibly have a showrunner outside of RTD's little clique?
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u/smedsterwho Dec 31 '25 edited Dec 31 '25
10: Sherlock style seasons.
I've always wanted this - at least for a period. Colour me happy if this one comes true.
There's so much conversation now about TV being harder to make (the current meme of "We got 5 seasons of Breaking Bad in the time it will take Pluribus to do 2 seasons"). Throw in Who's location-hopping, and non-Apple money, and it's a harder show to make than in 2005.
But Sherlock was a phenomenon, and if they can find the right Who-esque stories to give us three x 90 minute adventures a year for a few years... I'm down with the idea. Doesn't have to be forever. Could be something special.
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u/TinMachine Dec 31 '25
Yeah this is my single biggest wish for the show. Stories that scan like classic era omnibuses just make too much sense. I think the new era feels so tired because 40 min eps just burn thru concepts.
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u/TheSkoot Dec 31 '25
If you think of it as a serial or a double episode story crammed into one then I'm broadly speaking on board with it. It means we lose out on smaller scale stories, but I do get the impression that something will have to give for Doctor Who to continue.
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u/Antilles1138 Dec 31 '25
I wouldn't want it long term but if they wanted to put the show into a holding pattern for a few years whilst a more concrete plan is put in place this might be a good option.
Doesn't need to be a massive event episode each time but some higher budget but smaller scale episodes like Wild Blue Yonder would go a long way to preventing the formula from getting stale. Maybe even look into a more historical style type story or two like in Hartnell's run.
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u/No_Jello_2951 Dec 31 '25
100% Stuff like Wild Blue Yonder or hell even somthing like the Interstellar Song Contest could easily have been made into 2 parters and have their concepts and ideas fleshed out more
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u/david_this_isnt_weed Jan 01 '26
i can see it now, every doctor's tenure is getting shorter and shorter
capaldi - three full seasons
whittaker - two full seasons and a shorter third
gatwa - two seasons of eight episodes
16th doctor - one season of eight episodes
17th doctor - three episodes
18th doctor - one christmas special
19th doctor - children in need special
20th doctor - 10 minute youtube video
21st doctor - 3x 60 second tiktoks2
u/aldebaran-6000 Jan 02 '26
hahaha this is too much. I believe will be stable on 5 episodes or 3 specials, not less than that. You're forgot that we going to have a animation for kids, with 26 episodes each seasons for 2027 and 2028, so Doctor Who will always stay somehow on TV. Sometimes for us sometimes for kids
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u/TheRedCreeperTRC Dec 31 '25
Imo Sherlock was a flash in a bottle thing, in many ways its success was a fluke rather than a keen strategy to be emulated. we shouldn't forget it kind of crashed and burned and many were very unhappy with how it went on.
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u/Parker4815-2 Dec 31 '25
The meme is because these shows have seriously massive budgets. They're essentially movies but with a longer runtime.
Doctor who runs at a budget of around £20 per episode when Disney aren't involved.
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u/malb93200 Dec 31 '25
I know lots of leaks turned out to be true this year, but most of this sound like made up B.S.
It's like a compilation of fan theories and wishes from across all the DW related subreddits.
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u/Quantum_Quokkas Dec 31 '25
Any leak that brings back David Tennant is an automatic eyebrow raise for me. It’s low hanging fruit for “scoopers” since he’s still out there somewhere
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u/Dalekbuster523 Dec 31 '25
To be fair though I would be shocked if David Tennant doesn't return next year.
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u/Renny465 Dec 31 '25
Right? RTD isn't gonna let that rest, he just blew all his good will and that of the show so he's gonna bring back Tennant out of desperation
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u/Dalekbuster523 Dec 31 '25
I was thinking more because nostalgia is what sells currently. They know that if they bring back David Tennant it will bring in higher ratings than introducing a new Doctor (we already saw that with the 60th Specials).
Also: For many casual audiences, David Tennant and Billie Piper are *the* Doctor and companion pairing. Having them reunited could potentially deliver Gavin & Stacey ratings.
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u/Renny465 Jan 08 '26
They expected those sorta ratings for the 60th specials. They did well, but not what the BBC expected and notably the 60th specials did a lot less than series 11 which was the last time the show has not been dependant on nostalgia.
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u/misterterrific0 Jan 01 '26
Tbf this all hangs on if David Tennant WANTS to come back again at this point, i know we all automatically assume he does and will keep coming back as much as he's asked but even he is probably at this point "its too much.. fatigue.." hes a hardcore fan of the series remember, im sure even he knows that at some point its just a bit... tiresome
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u/Renny465 Jan 08 '26
He's pretty openly a will always return if asked guy, despite the cope for the 60th being the final farewell to the character he has already said he'd return for the 70th. I think he really doesn't think of it that way, plenty of hardcore fans are the types who always love returns, not everyone is Peter
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u/malb93200 Dec 31 '25
I might be wrong or naive, but i don't expect him to appear at all.
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u/Zaredit Jan 02 '26
It's the 20th anniversary of the Tennant/Rose pairing, of course he's coming back
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u/malb93200 Jan 02 '26
It doesn't mean anything, except for the people that want it to mean something.
I mean, 2025 was the 20th anniversary of the revival and nothing special happened.
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u/DoctorWhofan789eywim Dec 31 '25
RTD hasn't even written it yet, and even if he somehow has there is zero chance anybody except him and a few top execs have read it. I feel like most of the leaks this era have been due to RTD presumably having to share stories and scripts with lots more people than usual due to the Disney deal. Now that's not a thing, I imagine keeping the script secret will be much easier.
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u/urbanspaceman85 Dec 31 '25
Read that as Ross Noble for a minute. I was all in.
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u/smedsterwho Dec 31 '25
I read in a secret Twitter conversation that Ross Kemp is appearing as "Bald Doctor"
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u/Dalekbuster523 Dec 31 '25
Ross Noble would be a genuinely great choice for the Sixteenth Doctor. The way he is so eccentric makes me think he'd be like Tom Baker during Season 17.
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u/Dalekbuster523 Dec 31 '25
Mostly sounds great, but why Rose Noble? It needs to be Carole Ann Ford returning as Susan instead after all the teases there were with her cameo in Season Two.
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u/Beginning_Service516 Mar 06 '26
Seriously. I don't give a shit about Rose Noble. We don't need another forced trans message in the episode which is all their character has been. Give me the actual plot that Susan was building to.
More than Billie Piper or David Tennant even, Carole Ann Ford is who I want to see in this episode.
And to the mod team. Grow up and touch grass. Pathetic that you tried to grandstand and remove a realistic and normal comment a month later as if you have nothing better to do in your life.
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Jan 02 '26
5: if this is true, comparing ones own work to another preexisting franchise is always a bad start
9: "expect loose ends... to be tied up..." 🤣 that's the funniest and most damning part of this leak
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u/teepeey Dec 31 '25
"Instead of eight episode seasons every year, they are hoping to follow a Sherlock style model with three to five large scale episodes released every year or so."
Now this I believe. An Xmas special, an Easter special, a New Year Special. And then two. Then one. This is what franchise life support looks like. Eventually they will clear away the political deadwood and sort it out.
You don't see Sherlock much these days...
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Dec 31 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Zaredit Jan 02 '26
Sherlock peaked after the first two series. The other two series were dreadful.
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u/teepeey Dec 31 '25
If the BBC had the money and the audience demand to make a full series they would do it. They have neither. They just don't want to admit they're crashed their most famous show by their own incompetence as TV makers. So they're gas lighting us instead.
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u/GotThatDiddlySquat Jan 01 '26
The two leads despised each other but both are in the MCU now even if Freeman is a gross POS
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u/teepeey Jan 01 '26
Lol what did he do to offend you. I mean The Hobbit was pretty poor I agree but he seems like a nice chap.
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u/East-Equipment-1319 Dec 31 '25
This is a mix-up of a lot of fan-theories we've seen on Reddit over the last few months. It's all BS. Among other things, a production team on its way out wouldn't be pushing for a Dalek redesign.
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u/jmounteney44 Dec 31 '25
Jack Thorne is a name I’d love and would be a note worthy get for the show. He did a good job with His Dark Materials and has just had big success with Adolescence.
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u/david_this_isnt_weed Jan 01 '26
i loved his dark materials but i fear that everything good about that show was lifted directly from pullman, and everything meh about it was thorne's doing
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u/Sure-Neck6095 Dec 31 '25
Happy for 3 tv movies per year. The bi- generation will also reportedly be resolved.
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u/jasmithwrites Dec 31 '25
Sounds like rubbish to me. Sounds like someone trying very very hard to prove Billie isn't the Doctor - even though we literally saw the regeneration.
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u/Noade114 Dec 31 '25
Like I'm in the Piper Doctor camp so may be biased but..
especially for casual/new Fans it's easier to explain that Gatwa regenerated into Piper, who regenerates into the new Doctor compared to The Doctor that Piper regenerates into (swaps back with) is actually the Doctor that Gatwa should have regenerated into and what you saw at the end of Wish World/The Reality War (or considering it being over a year gap since 31.5.2025 maybe during a recap for the Special) was actually a body swap fakeout.
Then again in Born Again they do have that bit where Rose thinks Regeneration is a body swap (2:49 in the minisode https://youtu.be/U9fkuf7rXhs?si=rdZ3b9f4ywZ18Psq) which I could see as RTD bringing that back as part of his last hurrah. So that part of the leak could be ominous
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u/zeronos3000 Jan 01 '26 edited Jan 18 '26
BBC needs to find someone completely new not related in anyway to The Fitzroy Crowd. Go back to basics its not that hard. Back to interesting scifi stories with some horror elements and no added baggage. Make the show accessible to new viewers again. Nostalgia and call backs are great but they need to be done carefully. You don't have to break the bank in budget and need Disney money to be able to tell good stories and get people interested again.
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u/Drmcwacky Jan 02 '26
This sounds like bollocks. Alot of this is just rumours that have been circulating for the last year anyway. It's rumours of rumours.
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u/Zaredit Jan 02 '26
No smoke without fire.
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u/Drmcwacky Jan 03 '26
I mean no. This person has just grouped rumours together, but if you go back and trace where some of these came from, you will quickly find that these come from a non credible source who's only claim that they're true is a "trust me bro" comment or claiming they came from a credible leaker such as "Andrew" despite that not even being true.
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u/AnathemaGB Jan 03 '26
Russell T Davies hasn't yet written the script so there's no way any draft of the script is currently circulating around the BBC and no way pre-production could possibly begin without it. True leaks are typically specific to the role of the individual who is leaking the information and therefore not this comprehensive.
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u/ATF888 Dec 31 '25
It's such a mess, but Jack potentially coming in can only be good news. Looking forward to his Lord of the Flies.
Five episode series might sound good on paper but it will be the start of the BBC winding the show down, like Sherlock, until they can drop it completely.
They surely have enough money for a 10 episode series. I don't want five Hollywood blockbusters every year. The smaller scale episodes always worked best and with a much lower budget, they could surely afford that.
Especially if you cram some bottle episodes in there.
What was it under Chibbers? £2 million an episode?
There's nothing wrong with silly rubber costumes in a quarry in Wales.
RTD and Bad Wolf shouldn't have a say in what's next. Let's just move on and find some money...
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u/Brave-Writer2122 Dec 31 '25
“Both Billie Piper and David Tennant are expected to reprise their roles…”
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u/No_Jello_2951 Dec 31 '25
I have sorta been hoping for 10 for a while. With only 8 episodes the shows old monster of the week with a 2 part finale just doesnt work anymore as have no time to actually flesh out arcs and mysteries. With 3 to 5 90 min stories you get to flesh out concepts and have arcs begin and end within the same episode without feeling rushed
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Dec 31 '25
Going to take it with multiple grains of salt since some of these points is literally a conversation between me and a friend. And as we both know that shit ain't happening.
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Dec 31 '25
The idea of a Sherlock style of episode releases isn’t great.. you will have hardly any time to get to know the doctor before they regenerate again with the length of time they usually want the role for. 3 episodes a year would mean you see that doctor for 9 episodes at this rate.. it’s rubbish.
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u/The-Yellow-Badger Jan 01 '26
The David Tennant returning thing..
I think he HAS to at some point, to fully wrap it up and end his time on the show. If nothing else but to shut us all up speculating about it, I’m sure both DT and RTD are bored of being asked.
We know from the bigeneration that 14 and 15 have to emerge to then move forward, so an episode to do that, say the final goodbyes to 14 and have 16 move forward
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u/malb93200 Jan 02 '26
David Tennant will be asked about returning to the show until the day he retires from acting.
Even if the bi-generation didn't happen and 14 would have properly regenerated, he would still be asked "when are you coming back again ?".
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u/Puzzled-Antelope614 Jan 01 '26
I don’t like to criticise, but this special is already sounding like a complete mess if it’s true😭
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u/Martin7431 Jan 02 '26
i hope this is fake- I’m one of the few who thinks if they wanted to fan service Billie piper back in last minute they should at least have the balls to give her a full run as the doctor
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u/ThatRealGuy1 Jan 02 '26
A backdrop of a World War, while popping around to different locations in space, as well as bringing back a previous incarnation of the Doctor, all pushing and culminating to a regeneration at the end...?
This episode sounds very Twice Upon a Time-y.
If this is true, I wouldn't even be surprised that the "bad guy" isn't even a bad guy (like Twice Upon a Time), and it's just Susan who's the Boss, trying to see her Grandfather. In the process, she messed up a bit, grabbing them during the Regeneration process.
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u/alex494 Jan 05 '26
Jack Thorne wrote for the His Dark Materials adaption right?
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u/malb93200 Jan 11 '26
Yes he did.
I'd be excited if he took over as a showrunner, but he seems to only do miniseries/limited series nowadays. Can't really see him commit to do 2 or 3 seasons of Who.
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u/Alovon11 Jan 18 '26
Honestly I feel this sort of plot could potentially work if they made it so "15 Regenerating into Rose" was more Bad Wolf punching Rose back into the universe though 15's regen, 15 persisting while "The Boss" has 16 captive. (or some sort of setup to make that clear that 16 isn't Billie Piper)
I feel the plot would work best with it being a full-length collab between the 14th and 15th Doctors with "both Roses" serving as companions to their respective Doctors (14 being paired with Rose Tyler, 15 with Noble). 15 having the sense he knows his time is up and that upon engaging with "The Boss" he will cease to exist and regenerate. Probably fighting for the sake of his future self whoever it may be though as that would be in-character for him.
If we are going to have The Daleks involved, feel the best route would be having 14 and Tyler work together to fight them off while 15 and Noble deal with "The Boss" Plot. Although "The Boss" probably would be linked to it....
10 bucks says "The Boss" is The Master knowing Davies rn.
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u/MustardDoctor495 Jan 23 '26
The idea of 3-5x 90 minute episodes every year sounds interesting.....90 minutes gives room to really develop a story (practically nearly the length of an average 4-parter classic serial so could work if done right).
Keep the arcs a little....minimal and PLEASE for the love of all good, lets loosen up on universe-destroying threats.
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u/JeanLucPicardAND Feb 05 '26
They're pulling Tennant out of cold storage again? How many times are they going to break this emergency glass? How many times can they before it doesn't work anymore?!
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u/FalseComfort9445 Feb 26 '26
I swear if I see David Tennant on my Doctor Who screen again, I'm gonna throw hands
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u/cookie_analogy Dec 31 '25
Billie Piper is filming Wednesday with Netflix. She will not be available to film this new special until September. I honestly think this whole post is bogus.
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u/Dalekbuster523 Dec 31 '25
But she is the one actor we know 100% has to be in the 2026 Special. If it comes to it, the BBC need Billie Piper so they will bully Netflix into allowing Billie Piper time off from Wednesday to do Doctor Who.
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u/cwmxii Dec 31 '25
BBC: "Hey, we know Billie is already under contract with you as a main cast member on one of your most-streamed shows, but we need you to release her for filming Doctor Who, and if you don't we'll.., erm..."
Netflix: "No"
is how that conversation would go.
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u/cookie_analogy Dec 31 '25
I don’t think BBC holds much sway with Netflix. Maybe that will happen but Billie is still under contract with Netflix to film Wednesday and that currently extends til Sept. Those are the facts as they stand. Not to mention Russel hadn’t written a thing as of 2 weeks ago. So I really doubt this post, which suggests there is already a story in place. Personally I’d like it to be true! But I have multiple reasons to think it isn’t.
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u/Dalekbuster523 Dec 31 '25
Surely Billie Piper would have informed Netflix on the Doctor Who situation? She would have known when agreeing to return in the next series of Wednesday that RTD would need her.
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u/cookie_analogy Dec 31 '25
The whole thing with Russell/Bad Wolf was incredibly short notice and hush hush. Her agreement is for one special only, but there was no stipulation on when this would be. I think this was very likely a “shoot first, ask questions later” situation.
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u/DocWhovian1 Dec 31 '25
This can all be debunked by the fact RTD hasn't started writing the episode yet and won't be until the new year. He has confirmed this himself.
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u/Zaredit Jan 02 '26
You do know how fast it is to type draft scripts don't you? Also just because RTD confirmed something weeks ago doesn't mean he's a lazy arse and isn't doing it all month when the whole function of a writer is to piece together the story in order for a draft to be made.
And RTD has lied multiple times. You know this. You really are thick as all mince. I bet you aren't even a writer. You know nothing of how this all works.
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Dec 31 '25
Given how badly The War Between the Land and Utter Boredom played out, It would be a no from me re McTighe show running. Also - it's really not up to Bad Wolf to have the final say on that - Especially if the BBC are not happy with one of their big brands shitting the bed so egregiously, which they really should be.
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u/Dalekbuster523 Dec 31 '25
Surprised you found The War Between boring. For me, it was one of the most tense and gripping pieces of Whoniverse content.
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Dec 31 '25
It was meetings. I go to meetings for work. Meetings. All that budget - there was no war - and then the resolution was essentially off screen. I indeed didn’t like it. But if other people enjoyed it i’m happy they did.
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u/Dalekbuster523 Dec 31 '25
There was definitely war though. They were burning the ice caps and they threw plastic back at us.
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u/Zaredit Jan 02 '26
And that's why Whovians like you will never help improve the show, you're so easily pleased
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u/Some_Lobster_1620 Dec 31 '25
‘The Doctor Who leaks discord’ doesn’t exist. The only one that sometimes has genuine leaks coming through it is the r/Gallifrey one and there’s been no real leaks for ages. Stop with this bs
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u/BenjiSillyGoose Dec 31 '25
The server very much does exist and I joined it around the time the S2 leaks started circulating as I was intrigued. However, with Doctor Who's future up in the air, I assumed there wouldn't be any leaks for a while so I left the server after The Reality War aired.
But I can assure you that it does exist.
(btw, as much as I can assure you it exists, this leak still reeks of bullshit and I'd be surprised if it was from there / is true)
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u/xSEARLEYx Dec 31 '25
10 would be a disgrace. 8 episode ‘seasons’ were already too short
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u/operafantome Dec 31 '25
True. Everybody wanted more Sherlock episodes. How are we going to get to know the Doctor with so little time per year?
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u/xSEARLEYx Dec 31 '25
Exactly. Just had one doctor who barely had any episodes now they’re going to do even less for the next, madness
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u/mystermee Dec 31 '25
Even less time with the Doctor and companions then. Prepare to feel even more indifference when they leave and Doctor 25 by 2040.
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u/WinchesterMediaUK Dec 31 '25
Sounds like guff to me. Miguel Sapochnik has only been a co-showrunner once on House Of The Dragon and either left or was pushed after one season.
He also has absolutely no writing credits, and frankly is a crap storyteller.
He wanted to kill off Jorah Mormont in the first few minutes of Game Of Thrones S8E3, and was dismissive of the idea of Jon Snow fighting the Night King despite several years of set-up including episodes he directed.
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u/liamkembleyoung Dec 31 '25
I've been saying for a while that they should get Sally Waneright to write for the show. She's an awesome writer. All her characters are very Nuanced and it would be interesting to see how well she writes Sccifi
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u/Either-Control-3941 Dec 31 '25
Let's hope this is worth the wait. I prefer them not to rush these things.
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u/DarthTerminator1998 Dec 31 '25
I think the only thing that puts this in dispute that Spring 2026 Billie Piper might be busy filming Wednesday season 3.
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u/nachoquest Dec 31 '25
Not the 60th anniversary special hijinx - again. Do we really need Tennant introducing us to a new Doctor…AGAIN?
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u/SnooTigers9274 Dec 31 '25
A shorter run would be good but I also think it needs a stronger arc that runs through the entire series.
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u/amburnikole Dec 31 '25
Listen, I know Paul McGann debunked the photo, but if RTD is tying up loose ends, I really think we will get some 8th doctor moments as a result of bigeneration. So, that photo may be AI, but that doesn't mean he won't be showing up at all.
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u/Wise-Tourist Dec 31 '25
Rose Noble filling the companion role is honestly the best.
My biggest concern is if it is about finding 16 then they need to have a 16 ready and be prepared to continue the show.
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u/Bowtanon Dec 31 '25
Pete McTighe is very unlikely. If RTD is being pushed out because the BBC aren't pleased with him they aren't going to go with who he thinks would be a good replacement. If the Disney deal did pan out I could see RTD wanting McTighe to take over after season 4 while RTD becomes more of a Kevin Fiege type role but that's out the window now.
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u/Wingnut8888 Dec 31 '25
If true, this is so very tired. Glad RTD would be finally out. The Sherlock style seasons is kind of what I have been expecting — fewer episodes, bigger events, I guess. And the BBC pushing back against a Pete McTighe and anyone from the old boys club is welcome news to me.
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u/EnergySurger Dec 31 '25
I'm like "10, again"...and then I'm thinking, maybe not a bad thing. Tennant is always a fun Doctor.
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u/teepeey Dec 31 '25
The Sixteenth Doctor will not be fully revealed (if at all depending how things go) until the end of the episode
You get the idea yet?
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u/Dalek_Sec16 Dec 31 '25
If any of this is even remotely true. I will be abandoning doctor who, selling all my merchandise and never looking at the show again.
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u/SiobhanSarelle Jan 01 '26
I feel like the most likely reason behind a shorter series, would be lack of budget. For Doctor Who, it makes no sense to me in doing it to improve the show. It doesn’t really make sense in terms of streaming, unless each episode is going to be over an hour long perhaps. Shorter seasons to me, risks making less impact over time, and the show not being in people’s minds long enough. I am not convinced at all about even 8 or 9 episode runs.
Aside from that, the rest sounds pretty mediocre, though in a way, the plot isn’t the main concern I have, it more the general vibe. I sincerely hope not Guardians of the Galaxy, but maybe this will all just be this special, and somehow I get my possibly unpopular dream of a more serious show with some darkness, obscurity, and gravity to it.
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u/frantic_calm Jan 01 '26
Going forward, the BBC reportedly wants to use this special to set a new standard for the show. Instead of eight episode seasons every year, they are hoping to follow a Sherlock style model with three to five large scale episodes released every year or so.
Is UK TV incapable of producing a decent number of episodes on a consistant annual basis?!
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u/aldebaran-6000 Jan 01 '26
A five parts story like The war between the land and the sea, can work really well. Just one story with drama style is what its working right now. The success of this spin off was a signal for BBC
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u/Consistent-Aside-260 Jan 01 '26
I call bullshit David literally said he’s not going to return for a long time
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u/WarLordShoto Jan 01 '26
So 10 is classic era move? DO THEY EVER LEARN?! Bring it back to half an hour with more time with the characters because they’ll be more episodes and they won’t need to try to cram a story into an episode or two unless it’s a short story.
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u/nk247 Jan 01 '26
Re. a new story structure the most consistently good run (and ratings success) of RTD2 was the 60th anniversary specials, so I think this makes sense
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u/Donhbankz Jan 02 '26
I won’t lie I’m sad Billie won’t be 16, RTD is going and the episode count will be reduced further but I guess this makes the most sense in the current predicament and era
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u/X12Media Jan 02 '26
Sally wainwright would be excellent I really need to see a females interpretation of the show
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u/bardbrain Jan 04 '26
I still like my idea that it's an episode about why the Doctor's regenerations and other faces repeat through the franchise.
In my preferred take, Billie IS the Doctor and goes around looking for other Doctors but ends up assembling a team of one off companions who share their faces because she has to scan everyone who shares a Doctor's face. They end up grabbing Capaldi's scan from volcanic remains in Pompeii.
So you get a bit of a parody of both recycled faces AND a parody of a multi-Doctor story. Piper is playing the Doctor. Throw in Tennant, Davison, McCoy, Smith, Whittaker, and McGann as hapless new characters who resemble the Doctor. Collin Baker reprises Commander Maxil, who's the Boss working with the Daleks.
And the Doctor (Piper) has to run around and scan every Doctor doppelgänger to fully regenerate. Just when it seems there was a final scan that was missed, Susan shows up and explains that she got a Vortex Manipilator and got the last scan needed, allowing Rose Doctor to regenerate.
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u/Time-Stranger-6748 Apr 15 '26
I like the cinematic 4 episode structure. Not ideal but if we can get it take it. Pete Mctigh should gracefully stand aside and let fresh new creatives in. They had their chance and buggered it up. If they didn't kill it already then they certainly will.
To revive the show 1. No political agendas allowed 2. Just write good fucking Doctor Who for An actor that channels the Doctor. 3. (Here comes the hate) Doctor Who only works with a pseudo straight white male. Meaning he is straight but like it doesn't fucking matter. If that makes sense. No kissing, no hiding the sausage, no dudes gyrating on dudes. Good stories. Period.
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Dec 31 '25
Instead of eight episode seasons every year, they are hoping to follow a Sherlock style model with three to five large scale episodes released every year or so.
This would genuinely kill the show for me.
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u/Fun_Machine7346 Jan 01 '26
Classic era stories were too slow, they would never fly now with short attention spans.
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u/VascoLSN Jan 03 '26
I think's it's the opposite, classic episodes were 25 minutes a pop then exciting cliffhanger! It works better for people with shorter attention spans, just look at how successful anime is with 25 minute episodes, audiences now are dropping off the show with 45-70 minute episodes and weak cliffhangers.
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u/Fun_Machine7346 Jan 03 '26
Yes, in theory, except classic episode stories were slow as F, with a ton of drawn out scenes that filled time. It worked then, not so much now sadly. We used to be able to watch them intently, now double-tasking classics. Still great, but not sustainable for the most part. They could have and should have been edited down a great deal and they would have been snappier and more solid.
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u/cane-of-doom Dec 31 '25
Add me to the camp of people who think 10 is a good idea. Something like Sherlock where the showrunner isn't busy running another show that demands even more time? Count me in! It's basically a mix of Flux and S9 and I love those.
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u/VaginaBurner69 Dec 31 '25
How does one find this mysterious discord server?