Former Doctor Who Showrunner Won’t Return To The Series

Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies admits that there are talks about who will take over his role in the franchise in the future. One name was mentioned, but they were not interested in the position.

Davies rebooted Doctor Who in 2005 and it has been airing since. However, in its 20-year run, there were two other showrunners before he returned to the franchise in 2023. Davies had the top job from 2005 to 2010, during the Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) and the Tenth Doctor’s (David Tennant) seasons. Steven Moffat took over from 2010 to 2017, overseeing the seasons for the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) and the Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi). Then Chris Chibnall took over the mantle from 2018 to 2022 for the Thirteenth Doctor’s (Jodie Whittaker) season. In 2023, Davies came full circle when he returned to the franchise and served as a showrunner again for the Fourteenth Doctor (David Tennant) and Fifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa). Davies admitted that, just like fans, they were already discussing who could take the top job after him because he “won’t go back a third time.”

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Davies recently appeared on David Tennant Does a Podcast With… where he admitted that his second time as a showrunner would be his last. Tennant even teased him that he didn’t expect Davies to return. Davies mentioned asking Moffat to replace him to write the Christmas special in December because he needed to “slow down.” So, Moffat’s name surfaces as a potential replacement when Davies leaves the franchise. One fan said anyone could take the position, but Moffat and the latter reacted, shutting down rumors about him serving as the next showrunner. “Moffat must go. And I’M NOT EVEN THERE. And I definitely won’t be, so all go and be horrible to someone else – It’s not my turn any more,” Moffat wrote on X, formerly Twitter. The Doctor Who fan clarified that his not wanting Moffat in the franchise again was in good intentions and that Moffat was right not to give the franchise another go. Moffat assured the fan that he didn’t take the previous comment personally.

Moffat’s statement about not returning to Doctor Who as a showrunner isn’t surprising at all. He has been saying in previous interviews that he will not return to the same position again. In an interview with RadioTimes.com in April 2022, he explicitly said he was done showrunning the franchise. “I think I can confidently say I’m done showrunning Doctor Who,” Moffat said. “Everyone can stop worrying. I did it for six seasons on the trot. And I cannot imagine going back into doing that. I cannot. I simply cannot picture it.” However, he seemingly had a slight change of heart when he spoke about the franchise at the 2025 Radio Times Covers Party. Moffat said he had written a lot of scripts, but he wasn’t sure “if they’ll want me.” He also clarified that he wasn’t “against” the idea of returning to the franchise but also made it known that “I’m not especially saying it’s gonna happen.”

Steven Moffat is a brilliant showrunner for Doctor Who, but he has said many times that he is no longer interested in showrunning the franchise. This is understandable since the role is full-time and consuming, as they have to write multiple episodes, oversee the production, and manage the franchise. If Davies, 61, wants to slow down, Moffat, 63, probably wants the same thing. Also, fans have mixed reactions to his works. Many loved the complex storytelling and deep character arcs. Some even said his season featured fan-favorite companions. However, others find his writing too complicated and self-indulgent, especially during Capaldi’s early years. Maybe it’s best to give the role to a new person who could give the show a new voice and present fresh ideas instead of repeating showrunners. Anyway, Moffat is still open to writing occasional episodes like his return for the 2024 Christmas special. So he is best as a guest writer.

Doctor Who streams on Disney Plus and Season 15 will premiere on April 12, 2025.

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Source: Steven Moffat/X