Despite being the longest-running sci-fi television series, Doctor Who has struggled as of late to develop a connection with younger audiences and also fans outside of the UK. There was a big effort to expand the show's reach recently, when much of Doctor Who was added to Disney+, but soon after this was revoked again, likely due to limited interest from international users of the service.
Similarly, some of the recent arcs and creative choices have also struggled to draw in viewers, and clearly now the BBC is looking to do something about the show in a bid to secure its future.
In a statement, it's revealed that Doctor Who's planned annual Christmas special will no longer be going ahead this year, and likewise, showrunner Russell T. Davies is departing the franchise, with production firm Bad Wolf also exiting. The BBC has said it's putting the series "out to competitive tender this year," essentially exploring who could come in and who could be the stewards for the franchise for the foreseeable future.
The full statement explains: "As part of securing the next phase of the show for future generations, and in line with the BBC's Charter and Agreement requirements, the BBC will put Doctor Who out to competitive tender this year. 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.
"After careful consideration, the BBC, Russell T Davies and Bad Wolf have collectively decided not to go ahead with the previously announced Doctor Who Christmas episode. This decision was not taken lightly, and we know it will be disappointing for fans, but in order to set the show up for future series, it was decided that rather than bridge the gap with a one off special, we are choosing to push forward to invest in the long-term future of the show which ensures that when the TARDIS lands once more, it does so in all its glory."
Despite this news, the animated CBeebies show based on Doctor Who is still in the works and likewise the BBC still owns the Doctor Who IP in its entirety.