Doctor Who Tender: BBC Studios Exec Wants Return to Tennant-Smith Era

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Posted in: BBC, TV | Tagged: doctor who

Doctor Who Tender: BBC Studios Exec Wants Return to Tennant-Smith Era

BBC Studios scripted boss Jamie Hall talks tender update and wanting the show to return to the days of the David Tennant-Matt Smith eras.

Published Wed, 30 Sep 2026 07:37:09 -0500
by Ray Flook
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Article Summary

  • Doctor Who tender update: Jamie Hall says one or two companies may bid, and BBC Studios welcomes more entrants.
  • Hall says Doctor Who pitching is costly and demanding, so bidders must avoid letting the process distract from daily work.
  • Jamie Hall wants Doctor Who to recapture the David Tennant and Matt Smith era after a two- to three-year break.
  • BBC Studios says it is “in it to win it,” with Tom Fussell vowing to fight hard to keep producing Doctor Who.

While BBC Director General Matt Brittin is busy dragging the long-running series into a self-inflicted debate/uproar about AI, BBC Studios scripted boss Jamie Hall is offering an update on where things stand with their efforts to be the stewards of the next Doctor Who revival. Noting "we've probably got one, potentially two companies," Hall would be "100%" happy if more than one entered the race. But before any pitches were submitted, Hall revealed that he was "very open" about what pitching for Doctor Who would entail, adding that it is "quite an onerous undertaking and costs quite a bit of money." Hall explained, "I have to make sure that it doesn't become a distraction from the day job." As for his vision for the show, should the tender process go BBC Studios' way, Hall would like to bring things back to the days of David Tennant and Matt Smith. "It feels to me that there is an opportunity to get back to what the core offering was in that time. It will be off-screen for two or three years, and that gives the audience a great chance to have a break, then rediscover, while also bringing a new audience," Hall said.

Image: BBC Studios Screencap; BBC Screencap

"We've been the producer for 60 years, and we want to be the producer for another 60 years, so we will be going for that tender with gusto," BBC Studios CEO Tom Fussell shared with Deadline Hollywood back in July when asked about the tender. "We are in it to win it." As for what that might mean specifically – for example, will it be one or several banners under the BBC Studios umbrella pitching, Fussell wouldn't say. "We've got the full breadth of our studio to look at that, and we will do the best for an absolute adored brand. As the distributor and commercial licensor [of Doctor Who], we understand those fan relationships and can build on that. Doctor Who is something that people in this organization care passionately about," he added.

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