Doctor Who: BBC starts tender for new production team and targets 2028/29

• The bidding documents list 2028/29 as the target for the return of new episodes.
• The first commission appears to be for one season, with a possible second run only if the BBC chooses to order it.

What happened

The BBC has launched a tender process for Doctor Who, seeking a new production team for the series’ next phase. The move follows the end of the most recent production period and formally begins the search for the party that will make the next episodes. According to the reporting, the process is still ongoing, so no final decision has been made yet on the studio, producer, or creative team.

The available documentation lists 2028/29 as the BBC’s target window for new episodes. At this stage, that is a goal within the tender rather than a confirmed broadcast date. Even so, it makes clear that the broadcaster is planning the show’s return on a longer timeline rather than aiming to launch a new run in the near term.

The tender appears to cover one season at first. A second season would only be possible if the BBC later decides to go ahead with it, which means the final size of the new run is still open. The bidding process therefore leaves room to reassess the production after the first season and decide whether to order additional episodes.

The reporting also links the situation to Disney not renewing its co-financing deal. In addition, it mentions that an earlier-announced Christmas special from Russell T. Davies was later scrapped. Those points are used in the source to frame the transition into a new production phase, but the tender itself mainly confirms that the BBC is now looking for a new partner for Doctor Who’s next chapter.

Background

Doctor Who is a long-running BBC series that was recently co-financed by Disney. According to the source, that partnership has not been renewed, prompting the BBC to look for a new production team. That makes the tender an important formal step, because it confirms the broadcaster wants the series to continue, while still leaving open who will actually make it.

The tender shows that the BBC has not yet made a final choice on the studio, team, or exact format of the next run. Whether there will later be extra episodes or specials is also still undecided. The source also says the BBC wants Doctor Who to remain a continuing television series rather than being turned into films. In other words, it remains an episodic TV project, even if the production plan is still being worked out.

The 2028/29 target is significant because it suggests the BBC is allowing for a longer development and production cycle. The tender is therefore not just about finding a new team, but also about setting a path for the show’s return at a later date. That fits with the report that the first order will likely be limited to one season, with only a possible second run if the BBC later opts in.

The source further connects the current situation to the end of the Disney deal and the cancellation of an earlier-announced Christmas special from Russell T. Davies. Together, those points paint a picture of Doctor Who entering a new production setup. For now, the key concrete detail is that the BBC has officially started looking for a new production team and is targeting 2028/29.

Sources

• IGN: BBC wants Doctor Who back in 2028/29 as search begins for new production team