BBC Studios is potentially set to make more than one bid for Doctor Who amid its tender process.
The beloved BBC sci-fi recently released its invitation to tender, detailing its vision for the next season of the show, which would aim for transmission in 2028/2029.
Jamie Hall, BBC Studios' managing director for scripted, has confirmed that BBC Studios has "probably got one, potentially two companies" set to compete for the tender, telling Deadline that Doctor Who "should sit within the BBC and the whole group should reap the rewards of it".
As for what he would like to see from the future of the sci-fi, he explained that he wanted to return to the feel of the show in the David Tennant and Matt Smith eras.
"It feels to me that there is an opportunity to get back to what the core offering was in that time," he said. "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."
BBC Studios runs an in-house production company, as well as owning various indies which could compete for the show. Meanwhile, multiple other companies have expressed interest, including Electric Entertainment and World Productions.
However, Nicola Schindler, who is the longtime producing partner of former Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies, previously confirmed that her company, Quay Street, will not be entering a bid.
The broadcaster is asking production companies to pitch "a multi-episodic series (including specials) for transmission in 2028/29, with an option to extend the contract at BBC’s discretion to produce a second series". The deadline for pitches is 2 October 2026 and a decision will be made in spring 2027.
In the document, the BBC states that the new season of Doctor Who should feel "contemporary and creatively ambitious".
It specifies that, as well as the central character of the Doctor, producers will need to develop "at least one" companion for the series, adding that companions should be "distinctive, authentic characters in their own right, whose lives, relationships, ambitions, and personal journeys enrich the series".
It goes on to say: "Stories should balance high-concept science fiction with strong emotional narratives, ensuring that spectacle is always grounded in character and human experience.
"Episodes should transport audiences to extraordinary times and places, ranging from historical settings to distant futures, alien worlds and contemporary Earth. Successful pitches will deliver ‘back of the sofa’ scares, jeopardy and tension, whilst remaining suitable for a broad family audience."
Watch this space (and time!).
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