Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has stated that there are currently no plans for a spin-off series starring David Tennant‘s Fourteenth Doctor.
Rumors of a Tennant-led spin-off have persisted since the announcement of his return for Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary. They have continued ever since the airing of the third and final 60th anniversary special, “The Giggle.” This prompted Davies to step in and kibosh the idea.
“Sorry, it’s the age of Ncuti now — it’s ‘David who?'” the showrunner said at a press screening for this year’s Doctor Who Christmas special, via Radio Times. “No plans, genuinely, yet, because it’s a busy TARDIS,” Davies continued. “These two (referring to Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor and Millie Gibson as companion Ruby Sunday) are gonna just sail across the universe and capture your heart. So it’s time to look at these two.”
How Doctor Who inspired a ‘Doctorverse’
While Davies specifically denied a Tennant-focused spin-off, he has opened the door to future appearances by other actors tied to the series. “The Giggle” brought forth the Fifteenth Doctor through bi-generation. This process, long considered a myth by the Time Lords, created a new incarnation of The Doctor that existed concurrently with their predecessor. This allowed the Fourteenth Doctor to retire to Earth and heal, while the Fifteenth Doctor went off to protect the universe.
In the commentary for “The Giggle,” Davies confirmed that the bi-generation had affected every incarnation of the Doctor across time. This resulted in multiple alternate timelines, where the Doctor’s incarnations never regenerated.
“I think all of the Doctors came back to life with their individual TARDISes, the gift of the Toymaker,” explained Davies. “They’re all out there traveling round in what I’m calling a Doctorverse.”
This development has already been hinted at by the Tales of the TARDIS series on BBC iplayer. The series found several companions and classic Doctors reuniting on a new TARDIS. This could lead to further adventures for those actors willing to return to their classic roles. For the moment, however, that does not include David Tennant.
Doctor Who: The Church on Ruby Road premieres December 25 on BBC and Disney+.
