The future of Doctor Who is currently up in the air after the BBC announced earlier this year that the science fiction series would be put out to competitive tender.
It was announced back in June that the BBC will put the show out to competitive tender this year, and Russell T Davies and Bad Wolf collectively decided not to go ahead with the previously announced Doctor Who Christmas episode.
It was reported at the time that the decision "was not taken lightly" and they knew the news "will be disappointing for fans," but in order to set the show up for future series, it was decided that rather than bridge the gap with a one-off special, they would push forward to invest in the long-term future of the show.
Netflix executive responds to tender question
When put on the spot about Netflix potentially taking over the tender of Doctor Who at the Edinburgh TV Festival, the streamer's Vice President of Content Anne Mensah told session mediator Boyd Hilton: "I love Doctor Who. Anything that stays brilliant this long will have many, many lives."
It comes after the news that Blue Zoo secured the contract to produce a brand-new Doctor Who pre-school animation for CBeebies and BBC iPlayer.
New pre-school animation commissioned
The exciting new animated series, inspired by the beloved Doctor Who universe, has been commissioned for 52 episodes over two series and will begin production this year. It marks the first time the "Whoniverse" has been expanded into an animated series for pre-school audiences.
Patricia Hidalgo, Director of BBC Children's & Education, said at the time: "We can't wait to welcome the Doctor to CBeebies, introducing this beloved family favourite to our youngest audience for the very first time."
"This new series further strengthens our commitment to the British animation industry by championing homegrown productions with the potential to travel the world and, perhaps even through time and space."
The bidding process for this project was exceptionally competitive, and the BBC would like to commend all the shortlisted producers for the outstanding quality and depth of their proposals.
Blue Zoo celebrates 25 years
Adam Shaw, Co-founder of Blue Zoo Animation Studio, says: "This year, we celebrated 25 years of Blue Zoo so it's an extra special honour to be given the chance to bring such a much-loved classic and a true British icon to a whole new generation of young viewers."
"Doctor Who means so much to so many people, and we don't take that lightly at all. Reimagining something this legendary for a preschool audience is a brilliant creative challenge, and one we're incredibly excited to dive into."
Doctor Who first broadcast by the BBC in 1963 and follows the adventures of the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being from a humanoid species known as Time Lords. The Doctor travels through space and time using a time travelling spaceship called the TARDIS, which has an exterior that resembles a British police box.
The Doctor encounters various civilisations, which they seek to protect by outwitting foes and solving crises. The Doctor usually travels with a companion. Beginning with William Hartnell, 14 actors have headlined the series as the Doctor; the most recent being Ncuti Gatwa, who portrayed the Fifteenth Doctor from 2023 to 2025.
The transition between actors is woven into the story via the plot device of regeneration. When a Time Lord is fatally injured or weakened by old age, their cells regenerate into a new body; while they retain their memories, their personality changes.
