Babylon 5 creator throws hat in the ring to take over Doctor Who – again
J Michael Straczynski has said running Doctor Who would be "the thrill of a lifetime".
J Michael Straczynski, the American filmmaker and comic book writer behind series such as Babylon 5, Jeremiah and Sense8, has once again expressed interest in writing for - and potentially taking the reins of - Doctor Who.
Straczynski is currently moving to the UK, on a visa which will mean he is an official UK resident, allowing him to work for any studio, production company or network on this side of the pond.
He has been clear, while posting on Twitter (which has been rebranded as X), that he has not currently got any deals, understandings or guarantees regarding work, and that the move is "all about risk-taking".
Some fans had speculated that he could be moving to work on Doctor Who, a show he has expressed interest in writing for in the past.
However, Straczynski has now clarified in a post that that is not the case, even though "I would love nothing more in life than to take on that job" as showrunner.
"It'd be the thrill of a lifetime," he added, "but we'll see."
Straczynski also questioned in a reply to one user whether "Doctor Who fans be willing to accept an American, even a hardcore anglophile with a UK visa, for such an inherently British series, given Babylon 5 and Sense8 and the like".
"Would I be worthy?" he asked.
In 2021, after then-showrunner Chris Chibnall announced his departure from Doctor Who, Straczynski said he "would be there in a heartbeat" to take on the role, and later revealed he had made contact with the BBC regarding it.
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The role ultimately went to returning showrunner Russell T Davies, who previously revived the show in 2005 and left in 2010.
He has now been back in charge since 2023, although he has said that conversations are already ongoing regarding who will take over when he decides to leave again.
He said on David Tennant Does a Podcast With... earlier this year: "There’s thinking about that, there’s conversations about that, but it’s hard. It’s a tricky one. But they better exist… imagine, I’m dead at the desk. The cliche would kill me!"
Fans continue to wait for news on the future of Doctor Who, with season 16 not currently officially confirmed. The next project in the Whoniverse to arrive on screens will be new spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea.
Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer in the UK and on Disney+ elsewhere.
Dive into our Doctor Who story guide: reviews of every episode since 1963, plus cast & crew listings, production trivia, and exclusive material from the Radio Times archive.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
