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

Doctor Who: Tennant, RTD on New Showrunner "Conversations," Disney

On the latest episode of David Tennant Does a Podcast With…, Russell T. Davies discusses the next showrunner, the deal with Disney, and more.

As the countdown continues to the second season premiere of Showrunner Russell T. Davies's Ncuti Gatwa (Fifteenth Doctor), Millie Gibson (Ruby Sunday), and Varada Sethu (Belinda Chandra)-starring Doctor Who, Davies took some out from his busy schedule for a sit down with none other than David Tennant for David Tennant Does a Podcast With… In the latest episode, Davies and Tennant cover a wide range of issues, personal and professional, over the course of a little more than an hour – with two Doctor Who-related highlights grabbing our attention. First up, Tennant and Davies discuss if Davies would ever return to the show for a third time after his current run ends – with Davies noting that there have been "conversations" about who would come next. Following that, Davies explains why the Disney deal was one of the reasons why he returned while also clarifying the timeline regarding when the BBC had an interest in seeking a streaming partner.

Davies on "Doctor Who" Showrunner Future: When asked if he's ever thought about shutting it down for good with the show and walking away, Davies responded, "Oh, yes. I mean, I won't go back a third time, for God's sake; that would be insane." After Tennant jokingly pushed back that he said the same thing about his previous return, Davies added, "That's very true, but I'm not getting younger, darling, and I will need to slow down at some point. That'll come," noting that Steven Moffat was brought in after his second run and – as Davies says – it was "'Right, off you go!'" from there. Davies does share that there have been "conversations" about who takes over after him – and while he admits the situation is "hard" and "a tricky one" to navigate, he understands that those talks need to be happening now. "But they better exist… imagine, I'm dead at the desk. The cliche would kill me!" Davies added – before making it clear that he doesn't plan on being done with Doctor Who anytime soon. "I've just been reading the next month's 'Doctor Who Magazine' […] So am I putting down 'Doctor Who' anytime? I'll never put it down completely. I will always be reading a 25-page interview with a former producer," he explained.

Davies on Thinking "Doctor Who" Needed "Protecting" From Disney: "There was already a move from the BBC to shift it to a streamer. I kind of thought it would need protecting, and they very honestly said to me, 'We're gonna need a producer who can deal with a thousand executives,' which is what it's like," Davies shared with Tennant, clarifying that the BBC had interest in a streaming partner before his return. Why was the BBC looking to get the show a big budget boost? For many, it was to keep the show competitive and because – after 60 years – it deserved it. "It's not just that's the world we're in. [The BBC's former head of drama] Piers Wenger genuinely thought it deserves this budget," Davies explained. "You're looking at all 'Stranger Things' and 'Star Wars' shows and Marvel show,s and he said, 'It should look like that. It deserves to look like that.'"

David Tennant Does A Podcast With… is available on all podcast platforms.

Joining Gatwa, Sethu, Gibson, and Fox for the second season are Rose Ayling-Ellis, Anita Dobson, Christopher Chung, Michelle Greenidge, Jonah Hauer-King, Ruth Madeley, Jemma Redgrave, Susan Twist, Freddie Fox, Alan Cumming as the voice of Mr Ring-a-Ding, and English TV personality Rylan Clark (Eurovision Song Contest). Now, here's a look at the latest trailer that was officially released:

Doctor Who Season 2 Writers: Dawson, Ellams, McTighe & Angel-Walfall

"'Doctor Who' takes its talent from a glittering galaxy of names, and these extraordinary writers span the skies. We've got old hands, new stars, voices from theatre, radio, and literature – the whole works! It's the most wild and exciting season of 'Doctor Who' yet, and I can't wait to unleash their brilliant work," Davies shared about Juno Dawson, Inua Ellams, Pete McTighe, and Sharma Angel-Walfall – the new writers joining the series for its second season:

Juno Dawson is a #1 Sunday Times best-selling novelist, screenwriter, and journalist whose books include the global bestsellers This Book is Gay and Her Majesty's Royal Coven. Her debut short film was The Birth of Venus, and she created the first official Doctor Who scripted podcast, Doctor Who: Redacted. "I started watching 'Doctor Who' with my grandma when I was ten years old in the 1990s. From writing fan fiction for an audience of one to scripting the best TV show of all time is truly a dream come true. I can't wait for fans and newcomers to see the new season," Dawson shared.

Inua Ellams is a writer and curator whose published books of poetry include Candy Coated Unicorns & Converse All Stars and The Actual. His first play, The 14th Tale, was awarded a Fringe First at the Edinburgh International Theatre Festival. Other plays include Barber Shop Chronicles, which played at the National Theatre, Three Sisters, and The Half-God of Rainfall. "For as long as I can remember television, I've been a 'Doctor Who' fan. I started watching when I was 10 in Nigeria. The show invited me to dream, to live beyond my reality. Getting to write for the show felt like touching God; it was blasphemously humbling and exciting, and I can't wait to share my story with the world," Ellams shared.

Pete McTighe is a writer and executive producer on the forthcoming spin-off, The War Between The Land And The Sea. He has created, written, or executive-produced dramas, including The Pact (BBC), The Rising (Sky), A Discovery Of Witches (HBO), and Wentworth (Fox). "The TARDIS is my home away from home, so it's been a joy to step back inside, with Russell at the console and the incredible team at Bad Wolf hanging on for dear life. I love this show with all my heart, and am really proud of what we've been able to achieve with my next episode," McTighe shared.

Sharma Angel-Walfall originally hails from Manchester and won the inaugural Channel 4 New Writing Award that set her off on her screenwriting journey. She has been in a number of writers' rooms, including Rapman's Supacell (Netflix), Sally Wainwright's The Ballad of Renegade Nell (Disney+), A Town Called Malice (Sky), and Noughts & Crosses (BBC). She was a writing consultant on Paul Abbott's Wolfe (Sky) and wrote an episode of Sharon Hogan's Dreamland for Sky (starring Lilly Allen and Freema Agyeman). "I am buzzing to be a part of such an iconic show! I am a massive Russell T Davies fan, so it is a dream come true to be able to work alongside him, especially on a show that I love. It's a real privilege to be a part of the 'Doctor Who' family. I have loved every minute!" Angel-Walfall shared.

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