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Netflix UK boss addresses Doctor Who speculation: “I think Doctor Who belongs on the BBC”
Anne Mensah, Vice President of Content for Netflix across the UK, was speaking after the streamer's panel at Edinburgh TV Festival 2026.
BBC/Edinburgh TV Festival
- Lewis Knight
Published: Saturday, 29 August 2026 at 5:30 pm
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Doctor Who belongs with the BBC, believes one of Netflix’s most senior figures.
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Anne Mensah, VP of Content at Netflix UK, told the Radio Times that she believes the sci-fi franchise doesn’t belong with the streaming giant.
During the Edinburgh TV Festival 2026 Spotlight panel on Netflix (Wednesday 26 August 2026), Mensah was asked about having interest in the BBC’s competitive tender process for Doctor Who.
“I love Doctor Who,” she responded, “Anything that stays brilliant this long will have many, many lives.”
However, when speaking in a wide-ranging interview after the Edinburgh TV Festival 2026 panel, Mensah clarified her feelings further.
Mensah told Radio Times: "I was obsessed with Doctor Who. Okay, so in complete truth, like Russell T [Davies] is like my person most missed in my life. I love Russell's work. So, yeah, the better question would have been, but would I love to work with Russell T Davies? Yes, I would love to work with Russell T Davies because he's a freaking genius."
Former Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies came in for praise from Anne Mensah. Yoshitaka Kono
She then said: "I think Doctor Who belongs on the BBC, and I think all of its iterations. I was there when Jane Tranter [former Controller of Drama Commissioning at the BBC and Bad Wolf co-founder] relaunched it.
"It's a really special show, but it belongs on the BBC. We've got Supacell!"
Netflix offered an update on their BAFTA award-winning sci-fi series Supacell earlier in the week, with the hit show having wrapped production on its much-anticipated second season.
Billie Piper in the latest cliffhanger from Doctor Who before its hiatus. BBC
Meanwhile, Netflix’s competitor Prime Video voiced a different message at their own Spotlight panel during Edinburgh TV Festival 2026.
Oliver Jones, senior commissioner, UK scripted for Amazon, said: "I love Doctor Who, so we’d welcome any conversations."
The tender process has not yet begun, and there's currently no timeline as to how this will all go down.
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However, it's been suggested that Doctor Who may not return to screens until 2028.
When the BBC announced that Doctor Who would be put out to tender, the broadcaster said in a statement: "Doctor Who remains an important part of the BBC and this tender underpins the BBC’s continued commitment to Doctor Who, ensuring audiences will enjoy the show for years to come."
Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Dive into our Doctor Who story guide: reviews of every episode since 1963, plus cast & crew listings, production trivia, and exclusive material from the Radio Times archive.
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Authors
Lewis KnightNews and Trends Editor
Lewis is the News and Trends Editor at Radio Times and leads our approach to news, reactive content, and serving audience demands and interests. An obsessive fan of television and film, Lewis is a Nicole Kidman fanatic with a side of passion for science-fiction, art-house cinema and the latest HBO drama. Lewis has a degree in Psychology and a Masters in Film Studies. After working in advertising, Lewis worked at The Mirror for three years in community management and SEO, showbiz, film and television reporting.
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