Former Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall has said the BBC's decision to put the long-running sci-fi series out to competitive tender, effectively pausing production, comes down primarily to money rather than declining creative quality. Speaking on the WHO Corner to Corner podcast, Chibnall pushed back on fan discourse blaming the show's recent struggles, arguing the real story is a BBC that can no longer afford to fully fund its dramas, including a flagship title it clearly still wants to make.

Chibnall pointed to roughly 15 years of eroding funding agreements and the growing dominance of major Hollywood studios and streaming conglomerates as having squeezed the BBC's budgets. This follows Russell T Davies' troubled second stint as showrunner, which leaned heavily on nostalgia but failed to halt falling ratings, and the abrupt, rushed departure of Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor. It recently emerged that a promised 2026 Christmas special and search for a new lead actor were not, in fact, going ahead, prompting dismay from fans and former cast members alike.