Doctor Who producer reacts to "really rude" claims that the show is "as dead as we've ever known it"

Jane Tranter, one of the key executive producers behind Doctor Who and founder of Bad Wolf Studios (the company that makes the show), has reacted to comments that the BBC's flagship sci-fi series is "as dead as we’ve ever known it."

That particular comment came from Robert Shearman (writer of an iconic 2005 episode, Dalek), who had been quoted in Doctor Who Magazine talking about the show's series 15 finale.

The most recent series ended on the cliff-hanger reveal that Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor had regenerated into a character played by Billie Piper.

Piper, of course, starred as Rose Tyler in the main series (including Shearman's aforementioned episode) and popped up again as The Moment in the 50th anniversary special, meaning that her reappearance in the Doctor's place is something of a mystery.

With viewers left dangling on this cliff-hanger, and no word yet on when the next full series of Doctor Who will arrive (or even enter production), emotions have been running high, with Shearman suggesting that the shock regeneration "put a full stop on things" and left the show feeling "as dead as we’ve ever known it."

Speaking on BBC Radio Wales, in an interview that was picked up by Deadline, Jane Tranter was given the opportunity to reply publicly to these comments. Reports of Doctor Who's death have been greatly exaggerated, it seems.

Tranter is quoted as saying: "'As dead as we’ve ever known.' That’s really rude, actually. And really untrue."

Clarifying the current state of affairs, and touching on how the upcoming seafaring spin-off factors into things, Tranter added:

"The plans for Doctor Who are really simply this — the BBC and BBC Studios had a partnership with Disney Plus for 26 episodes.

"We are currently 21 episodes down into that 26-episode run. We have got another five episodes of The War Between The Land And The Sea to come.

"At some point after that, decisions will be made together with all of us about what the future of Doctor Who entails."

Tranter continued: "It’s a 60-year-old franchise. It’s been going for 20 years nonstop since we brought it back in 2005. You would expect it to change, wouldn’t you? Nothing continues the same always, or it shouldn’t continue the same always.

"So it will change in some form or another. But the one thing we can all be really clear of is that the Doctor will be back and everyone, including me, including all of us, just has to wait patiently to see when, and who."

Patience is a virtue, then, it would seem. In the meantime, why not check out some of our exclusive videos with the Doctor Who cast and crew in the feed below? We'll be sure to keep you posted as more news emerges.

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