Doctor Who returning to BBC with classic episodes set to air
Get ready to take a trip in the TARDIS back to 2010.
With fans still waiting on news regarding Doctor Who's future and when it will return to screens, BBC Three has stepped in to fill the gap, repeating classic episodes of the show from 2010.
The episodes will be airing on the channel on Saturday nights, starting on Saturday 27th September at 7:10pm. First up, the channel will be airing Matt Smith's debut as the Eleventh Doctor in season 5's The Eleventh Hour, followed immediately by the second episode in that season, The Beast Below, at 8:15pm.
The BBC has yet to reveal how long the run will continue, and whether the channel will be showing all of Smith's first season as the Doctor – or perhaps even beyond that.
Fans are currently waiting to return to the Whoniverse for The War Between the Land and the Sea, a brand-new spin-off which is set to air next year.
It is expected that it is after that show airs that we will finally get news on the BBC's co-production deal with Disney for the show – however, the broadcaster has made clear that Doctor Who will continue, regardless of Disney's involvement.
Speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival last month, Kate Phillips, chief content officer at the BBC, said: "Any Whovians out there, rest assured – Doctor Who is going nowhere.
"Disney has been a great partnership and it continues with The War Between the Land and the Sea next year but, going forward, with or without Disney, Doctor Who will still be on the BBC."
The most recent episode of Doctor Who, The Reality War, saw Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor regenerate into Billie Piper – although whether Piper is actually playing the Doctor or not remains to be seen.
Recently, Gatwa revealed that he "had to wrestle" with himself as to whether he continued in the role, saying that he "fell in love with that show" and that he will miss it, but that he was "ready to move on".
Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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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.
