Posted in: BBC, Disney+, TV | Tagged: doctor who

BBC Studios "Really Committed" to Doctor Who; Disney "Crucial Partner"

BBC Studios CEO Tom Fussell addressed the studio's commitment to Doctor Who and how important Disney has been as a producing partner.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could all be spending our time debating what Billie Piper possibly being the Sixteenth Doctor could mean? Alas, that's not the case, with what's going on behind the scenes of the BBC's Doctor Who making the headlines. When will the show return? Will Disney still be a production partner? Will Russell T. Davies remain showrunner? Do we know the whole story behind Ncuti Gatwa's exit after only two seasons? With today's publication of the BBC Annual Report, BBC Studios CEO Tom Fussell made it clear that the studio is "really committed to 'Doctor Who' and is continuing to look at ways in which we can bring the show to fans."

For Fussell, the strength of the show's brand and its history is a major plus. "Fans love the 'Doctor Who' brand. It's been that way since before I was in short trousers," Fussell shared. As for Disney, he noted that "The Mouse" has been a "key partner of ours" on shows like Doctor Who, Bluey, Dancing with the Stars, and others, as well as "a decade's worth of natural history" between the two.  "They are a crucial partner and we share a lot of the same values, so I'm really proud of the way that relationship has worked," Fussell explained.

Here's the complete response from an interview with THR: "We're really committed to Doctor Who. We really want to carry on looking at ways for fans to interact with the brand. We look after the brand, whether it's at Comic Con, merchandising, or whether it's the distribution deal we've done. The BBC and Disney haven't made a decision yet. When they do, they'll announce it. There's no point me speculating on it. But Doctor Who is a much-loved brand by everyone in BBC Studios, and we love being part of that sort."

"Because I'm getting old and my body was tired. I've now just started doing some ballet, so I'm making some good decisions here," Gatwa revealed to BBC One's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg host Laura Kuenssberg when asked why he pulled the trigger on departing the show. "It's the most amazing job in the world. It's a job that any actor would dream of. And because it's so good, it's strenuous, it takes a lot out of you physically, emotionally, mentally," he added. "So, I… it was time." That said, Gatwa kept the door open for a possible guest appearance or something of that nature, dropping a "never say never" when pressed about the possibility of a return.

Gatwa also addressed the rumors that he dropped out of representing the UK during this year's Eurovision over Israel competing in the global singing competition, making it clear that it had nothing to do with his stepping away. In the clip below, Gatwa explains that he was "very busy" and couldn't make the event work in his schedule, adding that he "pulled out of it a long time before it was announced" and that he didn't know why they waited so long before dropping the news:

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