A new report claims that The Walt Disney Company is seriously contemplating exiting its business relationship with the BBC and Bad Wolf Studios and leaving Doctor Who following the most recent season that posted the worst viewership numbers in the show’s entire history.
Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor and Bonnie Langford as Mel in Doctor Who (2024), BBC
Deadline’s Max Goldbart reports that a source close to the Doctor Who production informed him that Disney will “need to make a decision” on whether it continues forward with the show and depending on what this decision is, it could affect the status of Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor.
Goldbart further added, “This source predicts the final episode has been left open-ended, with the possibility remaining that Gatwa could regenerate into his successor if he chooses to exit.”
Mille Gibson as Ruby Sunday, Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor, and Bonnie Langford as Mel in Doctor Who’s “The Legend of Ruby Sunday” (2024), BBC
Not only could Disney pull out, but another source believes the entire show could be scrapped following its already greenlit second season.
Goldbart detailed, “Noises that it may not last beyond its initial two seasons are already reverberating around international TV circles, and one source close to the production tells us that they feel its future hangs in the balance already.”
Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor in Doctor Who (2024), BBC
READ: ‘Doctor Who’ Showrunner Russell T. Davies Admits Show’s Ratings Are “Not Doing That Well”
All of this comes in the wake of showrunner Russell T. Davies admitting the show’s viewership numbers were not good. As reported by Radio Times, Davies made an appearance at a BAFTA event called A Life in Pictures: Russell T. Davies where he confirmed the show’s ratings are not good.
Davies stated, “In coming back, I wanted to make it simpler and I wanted to make it younger. Those two things are often not discussed – you read reactions to it and people are missing that. It’s simpler and younger – and it is working. The under-16s and the 16-34 audience as well is massive.”
However, despite this spin, he did admit the truth, “It’s not doing that well in the ratings, but it is doing phenomenally well with the younger audience that we wanted.”
Mille Gibson as Ruby Sunday, Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor, and Bonnie Langford as Mel in Doctor Who’s “The Legend of Ruby Sunday” (2024), BBC
Davies also previously admitted the ratings were not good. As reported by Doctor Who TV, he told Radio Times, “I’m very proud of it! You know, they might not be the ratings we’d love. We always want higher. But they are building over the 28-day period. Episode 1, Space Babies, is already up to 5.6 million and counting. So it is getting there.”
He also attempted to spin the show as a success because it was allegedly reaching a “youthful audience.” Davies said, “I was brought back in to bring in a youthful audience. That’s been massively successful. The audience no one ever gets are the under-30s. They just don’t watch television anymore. But those figures are astronomic for Doctor Who, it’s their top programme in that bracket.”
Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor and Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday in Doctor Who (2024), BBC
The ratings for the show are atrocious. The debut episode’s overnight ratings in the United Kingdom only clocked in at 2.6 million. After a full week it only reached 4.01 million. Deadline, in its most recent reporting claims the show has only been viewed 6 million times. Meaning in the 2 months since the show premiered it added less than its entire overnight numbers.
The ratings did not improve there. The show hit an all-time overnight low of 2.02 million with the penultimate episode. It’s worst performing 7-day episode was the fifth episode at 3.38 million.
The season finale’s viewership was also atrocious with just 2.25 million in overnight numbers and a disastrous 3.69 million after a full week.
Screenshot of Doctor Who Series 14 ratings from Doctor Who TV
On top of just having disastrous ratings, Doctor Who Guide notes that five of the ten worst performing shows in Doctor Who history are part of this most recent season.
That’s right five of the eight episodes that aired are in the top 10 least viewed Doctor Who episodes ever.
Doctor Who 7-day ratings via Doctor Who Guide
The show never even made it on to Nielsen’s streaming charts in the United States.
What do you make of this report that Disney might back out of Doctor Who and the show could be over after its second season?
NEXT: ‘Doctor Who’ Showrunner Admits Ratings For The Show Are Trash And Hints It Could Be Scrapped
