According to former Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall, the long-running sci-fi series was almost canceled by the BBC during the height of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
In an interview with Radio Freaks Skaro, Chibnall admitted that "there was a week where [Doctor Who: Flux] was not going to be made." He continued, "And because the BBC was just like — the BBC studios, and it’s like, where’s the money coming from? How are we going to do this? Is it too difficult? And it literally went down to the wire of like, yeah, there was an hour on one day when it’s like, it was done. And yeah, we had to do — there are certain things I had to do to get that season made. Because they couldn’t find a way to do it."
Chibnall added that the series star, Jodie Whittaker, gave up several job offers "to do the third season, which, obviously because it had moved in the schedule, you know, she had stuff lined up for when we were supposed to finish shooting, but then was delayed by the pandemic." Whittaker premiered as the 13th Doctor, and the first woman to play the role, in 2018. She and Chibnall, who also joined the series in 2018, announced in July 2021 that they would both hand over the keys to the TARDIS with a trio of specials airing in fall 2022. Chibnall said in a previous statement that he and Whittaker had agreed to do three seasons of the show together before moving on.
"And you know, she’s in demand, and so she sacrificed a lot," Chibnall continued. "Everybody sacrificed a lot. But again, see now it’s like, we’re into that – everybody’s sacrifice and painful, but it’s not that at all! But yeah, we did have those moments. Yeah, completely. And there was, yeah, there’s some things like, I’ll just keep to myself."
Doctor Who Says Goodbye to Jodie Whittaker and Chris Chibnall
The Doctor Who Centenary Special, titled "The Power of the Doctor," marked the end of Whittaker's run as the titular hero and her Regeneration, while introducing Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa as the next iteration of the Doctor. When his role was revealed in May 2022, it was unclear at the time how or in what capacity Gatwa would appear until the Thirteenth Doctor regenerated. However, it was fan-favorite Doctor David Tennant who appeared as the Fourteenth iteration of the character, with new showrunner Russel T. Davies later confirming that Gatwa would be the Fifteenth Doctor after all.
As a new Doctor enters the TARDIS, Davies, who was credited with reviving BBC's cult, sci-fi drama in 2005, will be taking over as showrunner from Chibnall for the fourteenth season. Davies served as showrunner until Steven Moffat took the reigns in 2009.
Doctor Who will be available to stream on Disney+ in late 2023, with new episodes of the series premiering on the BBC that same year.
Source: Radio Freaks Skaro