The BBC has initiated the process for rebooting the long-running science fiction series Doctor Who, with official documentation released today detailing a "tendering" process for production companies to pitch for the franchise's future.
The submission deadline for interested companies is October 1, with interviews for potential candidates scheduled to conclude by the end of January next year. A final decision is anticipated in March, with the aim of a premiere for the newest iteration of Doctor Who in either 2028 or 2029.
Potential applicants are guided by the BBC's desire for the series to remain "relevant, surprising, brave, and inspiring for both long-standing fans and new audiences." The visual style is expected to be "cinematic, distinctive, and ambitious." The BBC is open to various narrative structures, including story-of-the-week or serialized formats, and has not set a fixed number of episodes per season. A core requirement is that pitches must uphold "distinctively British storytelling."
This initiative follows a period of significant change for Doctor Who. Disney's partnership with the show concluded after two seasons in late 2025. Earlier this year, showrunner Russell T. Davies departed the series, leading to the cancellation of plans for a Christmas special. The most recent season concluded with a cliffhanger where the Fifteenth Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, regenerated into Rose Tyler, a character from the show's earlier era, played by Billie Piper. The identity of the next Doctor following this regeneration has not yet been officially confirmed.