Doctor Who Christmas Special Could Be Delayed, Report Suggests, Amid Hunt for New Series Star

Doctor Who whitethorn nary longer instrumentality this Christmas arsenic antecedently announced, according to a caller report.

British paper The Sun has claimed that BBC bosses are discussing a hold for the series' upcoming peculiar occurrence until Easter 2027, amid an ongoing hunt for the show's adjacent pb actor. In response, the BBC declined to remark connected the report.

Ncuti Gatwa, who portayed the Fifteenth Doctor, departed the amusement abruptly successful its astir caller finale, via a reshot ending that near the bid connected a immense cliffhanger. It's this cliffhanger that the forthcoming Christmas peculiar was acceptable to resolve, with fans expecting the uncover of the Sixteenth Doctor earlier the credits rolled.

For the archetypal clip since 2005, Doctor Who's ongoing communicative has been near successful limbo with nary histrion presently formed successful the series' main role. The series' accumulation presumption is besides up successful the aerial pursuing the departure of co-funding and streaming spouse Disney, with lone a steadfast committment from the BBC for the series' upcoming Christmas special.

The upcoming occurrence is acceptable to explicate wherefore viewers saw Gatwa's Doctor abruptly replaced by returning prima Billie Piper, who antecedently played David Tennant's sidekick Rose Tyler. Fans judge Piper's instrumentality represents the amusement being placed successful a holding pattern, with her impermanent quality a bid to stoke nostalgia earlier a afloat replacement prima is found.

There are questions, too, astir the accumulation squad down the series, pursuing disapproval of its caller scripts and the stewardship of showrunner Russell T Davies. But immoderate alteration present perchance presents further problems for the BBC — arsenic immoderate caller showrunner would apt request to beryllium recovered first, successful bid to enlistee a caller pb histrion for themselves.

Today, The Sun claimed that the BBC person recovered it hard to formed a caller Doctor Who prima pursuing the "baggage" of Gatwa's run, which failed to find a ample planetary assemblage and suffered disapproval for its penning and storylines adjacent among dedicated fans.

What tin beryllium said for definite is that the Christmas episode's December airdate is present 7 months away, with nary motion that accumulation is acceptable to statesman anytime soon. Indeed, fans watching Piper's existent docket person noted that the histrion is presently engaged filming Netflix's 3rd play of Wednesday, and volition apt proceed to beryllium for respective months. Still, others person noted that the BBC has turned astir Christmas episodes of Doctor Who successful overmuch shorter clip — with accumulation opening arsenic precocious arsenic September successful immoderate cases.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social