Doctor Who: RTD Spins Show Being Put Out to Pasture (Sorry, "Tender")

Posted in: BBC, Doctor Who, Opinion, TV, TV | Tagged: doctor who

Doctor Who: RTD Spins Show Being Put Out to Pasture (Sorry, "Tender")

Russell T. Davies tried a positive spin on Doctor Who being put out to tender, but can he do it without sounding like it's not a big deal?

Published Fri, 12 Jun 2026 12:07:11 -0500
by Ray Flook
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With the Doctor Who Christmas Special canceled, the long-running series shelved for the time being (sorry, "put out to tender"… which sounds a lot like "put out to pasture"), and Showrunner Russell T. Davies and Bad Wolf parting ways with the show, it's safe to say that a lot of folks are feeling a certain way about it all. And they have questions. During a recent post-announcement interview, Davies looked to set the record straight: Doctor Who isn't canceled; it's just been tendered. And while he's absolutely right – the show wasn't canceled, we just don't know when it will ever return – there's something about Davies's flippant and dismissive, "It's not a big deal" attitude about the whole thing that's getting to be annoying. Being essentially lied to for eight months, only for the "punchline" to be the double hit that fans took earlier this week? We don't think it's a lot asking for just a wee bit more humility.

"It's extraordinary to see newspapers who should know better seeing the show has been canceled. It's the opposite. It's been put out to tender. And I understand that's an industry phrase. People might not understand what a show being put out to tender means. Equally, at the same time, those people are complaining on devices which have a search engine. Go and look it up. Put out to tender means, and this will happen to every BBC show," Davies shared during an interview with Gaydio. From there, Davies discusses how other programs have also gone out to tender, and then briefly explains how the process works. Basically, independent production companies pitch to be the one to lead the franchise moving forward (which would also include BBC Studios, since it's separate from the BBC), with a decision made from there.

Now, you might be looking at the situation as glass-half-empty, and it's understandable because, at this point, no one sees Doctor Who returning to our screens before 2028. But Davies sees the move as glass-half-full, believing that the company whose pitch gets the green light will be looking to invest in the franchise for several seasons: "No one's going to apply for a tender for one year. It's not worth it," Davies noted, adding, "So I think this guarantees years of the program. But no, go ahead and call it canceled everyone. [laughter] You're wrong. You're literally wrong." Well, there you have it, folks. Davies "guarantees" a run of several seasons once Doctor Who gets back on our screens. The same Davies who offered updates on a Doctor Who Christmas Special that didn't exist. Just a little something to keep in mind…

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