Former Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat has warned against rebooting the long-running BBC science fiction series, arguing it would confuse both casual viewers and longtime fans. His comments, made in an interview with Doctor Who Magazine, come at an uncertain time for the show, which has recently ended its partnership with Disney+, been put out to competitive tender, and will not air its usual Christmas special this year following Russell T. Davies's departure as showrunner.

Moffat argued that, unlike most franchises, a Doctor Who reboot would not be obvious to casual viewers, since a new actor simply appears to be "the next version" of the Doctor rather than a fresh continuity, leading to confusion when the character fails to recognise established elements such as the Daleks. He suggested the series' built-in concept of "regeneration" — used since 2005, when Christopher Eccleston's Doctor was introduced as the last of the Time Lords following an earlier failed revival attempt — offers a better way to refresh the show without discarding nearly 60 years of history.