Doctor Who: No Full Series in 2016, Says New Report

Salt shakers at the ready, everyone.

A new report says there will be “no full series” of Doctor Who in 2016. The news comes from Britain’s Private Eye magazine, which is a satirical publication, but does report on current events and has a solid track record of scooping inside Doctor Who information.

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Apparently showrunner Steven Moffat will be too busy with his other show, Sherlock, to film a full Doctor Who series next year:

"Not long now till the return of Doctor Who, which arrives back on screens for the ninth series of its latest incarnation on 19 September."

"Fans should makes as much as they can of this 12-part run, as BBC staff have recently been informed that showrunner Steven Moffat’s commitments to his other hit show Sherlock mean that there will be no full series of Doctor Who in 2016."

The phrase “no full series” does seem to infer that the door is open for a special or a series of specials, much like in 2009 when Doctor Who production took a break, save for four one-off specials.

Moffat and others have indicated that Sherlock will begin production on its much-delayed fourth series early in 2016, with still no word on when the long-in-production Victorian “Christmas” special will finally air. The series has continually had to accommodate the increasingly busy schedules of stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, not to mention Moffat and co-creator Mark Gatiss.

The magazine indicates that battles between Moffat and the BBC have intensified lately, and there is increased pressure for him to step down from Doctor Who, as the BBC apparently wants to spare the embarrassment of actually firing him.

So how much truth is there to this rumor? Well, on the one hand it seems odd that the BBC would want to parlay their golden goose, as Doctor Who was recently reported to be their most profitable property. On the other hand, the timing does work out as Doctor Who Series 9 started production in January of this year, so if a similar start date were planned for Series 10 next year, it would definitely clash with the planned production of Sherlock‘s fourth series. A series of Doctor Who specials in lieu of a full series might be the BBC’s idea of a compromise.

I will say, though, if this is true, Moffat needs to step down. I’m not a Moffat fan, so I’ve called for his resignation many times in the past, but this is just ridiculous. You’re going to delay arguably one of the most popular television shows in the entire world because you’re too busy? For crying out loud, let someone else run it then!

With Series 9 rapidly approaching, the cast and crew will be continuing to make the rounds doing press interviews, so hopefully we’ll get an official answer to this story very soon.

For more on Series 9, check out our complete episode guide, ‘Doctor Who Series 9: Everything There is to Know So Far.’

What do you think? Is there any truth to this rumor? Should Moffat step aside? Sound off in the comments below!

Next: Doctor Who: Why It's OK to Skip Nine

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