Doctor Who is back with a Christmas special in 2026, and it has already been almost a year since Ncuti Gatwa’s surprise regeneration into Billie Piper.
Since then, there has been a lot of speculation about the show’s future. Who will be the showrunner? Who will be the next Doctor?
We do know one thing: Russell T Davies will write the upcoming Doctor Who 2026 Christmas special.
The question fans really want answered is who will be the showrunner after that?
Film News Blitz writer Jonathon House examines the state of Doctor Who.
Who should be the next ‘Doctor Who’ showrunner?
Well, we do not know for certain if this will be Russell T Davies’s last episode, but many fans speculate that the 2026 Doctor Who Christmas special could be his swan song.
There is a sentiment among some fans who feel like Davies has outstayed his welcome and is no longer the same writer he was during his first era on the show.
The question is, who could take his place?
Many fans think it will be Pete McTighe, who co-wrote The War Between the Land and the Sea with Davies, and also wrote Doctor Who episodes like Lucky Day, Kerblam! And Praxeus.
For me, the show needs someone brand new with a fresh take, but also someone who understands the show and understands sci-fi. J.Michael Straczynski, who created Babylon 5, would be perfect.
He knows sci-fi, he knows the show, and he has even said publicly that he would love to be the showrunner of Doctor Who one day.
This makes him the number one choice to be the next showrunner of Doctor Who.
What streaming partner should the BBC partner with?
There has also been a lot of speculation about streaming partners for Doctor Who’s future.
Some theories suggest the show will continue with the BBC alone, but on a much lower budget.
Other fans think it could move to a streaming platform like Netflix or HBO Max, while some believe it should stay with the BBC after what happened with the ill-fated Disney deal.
HBO would appear to be the strongest choice if the BBC does opt for a streaming partner, with the American media company certainly not ruling it out in recent times.
What should the future of ‘Doctor Who’ look like?
I would like to see darker stories and six-episode seasons that tell one complete tale throughout the whole series, similar to Doctor Who: Flux.
Moreover, the focus should be on bringing the show back for new fans.
This can be done by avoiding returning characters like Kate Stewart and avoiding bringing back too many characters from either the modern or classic eras.
Instead, the focus should be on new characters, new lore, and new ideas, similar to how the original Davies era introduced audiences to Doctor Who back in 2005.
They can still bring back villains like the Daleks and the Cybermen, but reintroduce them in a way that newer fans can understand.
Who should be the next Doctor?
Despite regenerating into Piper, many believe the actress best known for playing Doctor Who companion Rose Tyler won’t be Ncuti Gatwa’s full-time successor.
For me, the Doctor should be played by a lesser-known actor, someone who could stay in the role for more than three seasons.
The problem with Gatwa is that he was already a well-known actor before joining Doctor Who, having enjoyed a major role in Netflix’s Sex Education.
Matt Smith, before being cast, was a relatively unknown actor, and now he stars in shows like House of the Dragon, in part due to the success he found through Doctor Who.
For me, the Doctor works best when the actor is not already a huge star.
There are plenty of routes Doctor Who could take, but the reality is that fans will likely remain in the dark until the Christmas special draws closer.
Indeed, this year’s festive special could have more revelations in store that will have an implication on what comes next.
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