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Doctor Who hard reboot would be "bad idea", argues former showrunner Steven Moffat
"It's not because I'm obsessed with continuity, or because I'm a hardcore fan."
BBC Studios/Bad Wolf/James Pardon
- Louise Griffin
Published: Thursday, 23 July 2026 at 12:02 pm
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As fans await more news on Doctor Who's future, Steven Moffat has given his take on how the beloved sci-fi should proceed.
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The BBC recently announced that the planned 2026 Christmas special has been cancelled, with the series being put out to competitive tender. Bad Wolf will no longer produce the show and showrunner Russell T Davies has stepped back.
It's very possible that Doctor Who will undergo some big changes before coming back to screens, but former showrunner Moffat has argued that a hard reboot would be a "bad idea".
"It's not because I'm obsessed with continuity, or because I'm a hardcore fan," he told Doctor Who Magazine.
"It requires more explanation than a soft reboot. Normally when you reboot something, you can tell it's a reboot. In Sherlock, I didn't need to explain that Benedict Cumberbatch is not playing a continuation of Jeremy Brett, because he's a different actor.
"You don't really expect Daniel Craig to be continuing the story of Pierce Brosnan. Because there's a new actor, you instantly reset and say, 'We're starting again, it's a new version'.
Steven Moffat. Richard Ansett
"But with Doctor Who, the fact it's a new actor doesn't tell you that at all, so most people casually watching would just be assuming, 'Oh, it's the next version of Doctor Who, he's changed again'. Then they'll say, 'Why doesn't he know who the Daleks are?' And you start getting confused. You'd have to keep reminding the audience, ‘We started from the beginning again.'
"Unless of course you did the nightmare option – which is exactly the wrong thing to do – which is starting with Doctor Who stealing the TARDIS and running away from Gallifrey. That's a terrible beginning for Doctor Who."
Just how much Doctor Who is set to change is purely speculation at this point. After all, the CEO of BBC Studios has confirmed it's set to compete in the tender, so the show could still be made very close to home.
Meanwhile, Matt Brittin, the BBC's new Director General, also recently pledged the broadcaster's commitment to the Doctor, saying: "That’s a show that has regenerated multiple times in its 60-plus year history, and we’ll do so again.
Doctor Who Magazine
"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."
As Moffat previously told Radio Times: "Brave heart everyone. It’s a cliffhanger – the Doctor ALWAYS survives those."
Doctor Who Magazine is available to buy now. Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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Authors
Louise GriffinSci-Fi and Fantasy Editor
Louise Griffin is the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor for Radio Times, covering everything from Doctor Who, Star Wars and Marvel to House of the Dragon and Good Omens. She previously worked at Metro as a Senior Entertainment Reporter and has a degree in English Literature.
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