- Primary Subject: Doctor Who
- Key Update: Writer Mark Gatiss suggests the series may need a long break or could be nearing its end following special cancellations and an indefinite hiatus.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: August 20, 2026
- Quick Answer: Doctor Who faces an uncertain future as writer Mark Gatiss hints the show may take a substantial break before another potential revival.
As the future of Doctor Who remains uncertain following the cancellation of its Christmas Special and the show entering an indefinite hiatus, writer Mark Gatiss has hinted that it may be the end of the long-running series.
The annual Christmas tradition began in 2005 before shifting to New Year’s Day specials in 2019 and returning to Christmas specials in 2023.
Now that the Christmas Special has been canceled this year, could it also signal the end of the iconic Doctor Who?
Is Doctor Who Coming to an End?
It has been over a year since Doctor Who Season 15 (Season 2 of Russell T Davies’ modern era) ended, with Ncuti Gatwa starring as the Fifteenth Doctor.
But as fans wait for the series to continue, potentially with a new Doctor, Mark Gatiss thinks it may not happen at all.
“My two penneth is, I genuinely think… [F] Scott Fitzgerald said there are no second acts in American lives, and I think that sort of sometimes goes for showbiz as well,” Mark Gatiss told Radio Times.
The actor-screenwriter couldn’t deny how “amazing” it was that the show had “a second act of 21 years” and returned even more popular than it was during its first run. But despite this success, Gatiss believes it might be the right time for the series to take some time off.
“I think maybe it’s just time for a break, because all good things come to an end,” he continued.
Will There Still Be a Chance for Doctor Who to Return?
Looking at the franchise’s history, this isn’t the first time Doctor Who has been put out to tender for other production companies.
For starters, the BBC canceled the show in 1989 after 26 seasons. However, after a 16-year hiatus, it was revived by the same network in 2005.
“We’ve been here before. When it was cancelled in 1989, the BBC made a big statement saying, ‘We’re committed to taking Doctor Who through the ’90s,’” Gatiss explained. “They put it out to tender then, and then it just quietly didn’t happen, and I have a feeling maybe that’s what’s going to happen.”
That said, there’s still a chance for the series to continue, and it may simply be taking its much-needed break before a more modern revival.
“The fact it’s come back so successfully means it will come back again,” he added. “It’s not a one-off 26-year (sic) run, but I think maybe it’s just time for a proper break, because you want people to miss it and have fresh ideas, and probably someone to run it who grew up with David Tennant as the Doctor, rather than Tom Baker.”
However, it’s worth noting that there are already production companies interested, such as BBC Studios and Electric Entertainment, even before the formal bidding process begins.
So, it may not be long before the series returns. In fact, BBC Director-General Matt Brittin is confident that the show will continue.
“That’s a show that has regenerated multiple times in its 60-plus-year history, and we’ll do so again,” he said. “I think that’s one of the great things about the 100-year history of the BBC. We can do that, and we can creatively renew shows that people love, and we’ll be working hard on that right now.”
Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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