Series Five Confirmed for 2010 (plus Three Specials In 2009)

[Milky Tears]

BBC Press Release:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pre...r/03/who.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/news/...03/48471.shtml

Press Releases
Doctor Who: Series five
Category: TV Drama; BBC One; Wales
Date: 03.09.2007

Doctor Who to return for fifth series in 2010

David Tennant to return to the Tardis

After months of media speculation, BBC One can confirm that the Bafta-award winning Doctor Who will return for a fifth series in spring 2010.

Viewers are in for a treat this Christmas, as a special episode starring David Tennant and Kylie Minogue will be broadcast on BBC One in December 2007. Series four, which went into production in July 2007, will hit UK screens in spring 2008 with a special episode for Christmas 2008.

In 2009, Doctor Who will return with three specials starring David Tennant, with Head Writer, Russell T Davies. The full length fifth series will transmit in 2010.

Jane Tranter, Controller, BBC Fiction, says: "Doctor Who is one of the BBC's best loved and most successful dramas. Its journey over the past three series has been one of the most ambitious and exciting that we have had, and I'm delighted to be able to confirm not only three exciting specials for 2009, but a fifth series in 2010."

Menna Richards, Controller, BBC Wales, says: "The success of Doctor Who is a fantastic tribute to the dedication and expertise of the production team at BBC Wales who have worked on the project from the outset. This announcement is marvellous news for all involved, and more importantly for the programme's amazing fan base and audience. BBC Wales is looking forward to producing the fifth series."

Following the critically acclaimed season three finale, the BBC has announced that Catherine Tate is set to return to the Tardis for the complete 13-week run of series four of Doctor Who, reprising her role as Donna from the 2006 Christmas special. Freema Agyeman, who won praise for her portrayal of Martha Jones in series three, is also set to return mid series four.

I'm off for some fun on other forums.

[SiHart]

Well, that's unexpected isn't it? I can't say that I'm pleased that we're only getting three specials before the next full series, but I suppose at least a) Tennant is staying and b) there will be a full fifth series.

Si xx

[Pip Madeley]

Doctor Who for another three years? Excellent!

Probably a good idea to give Tennant a break too.

[WhiteCrow]

I wonder why they're doing that? Don't tell me in Star Trek style they're saturating the market, and keeping it off air to allow Sarah Jane and Torchwood breathing room?

Seems a daft idea to me. Will essentially a years hiatus kill the show in the eyes of kids?

[SiHart]

Reading it back, it very carefully says DT will only be in the specials, and doesn't actually confirm if he'll be around after that... it could be that we have a new "showrunner" and Doctor starting at the same time for series 5, which would be a good clean start...

Si xx

[Milky Tears]

But will Tennant/RTD actually be back for Series Five? My inner fanboy demands an answer RIGHT NOW!! WE'RE BACK TO BEING DOOOOOOOOMED!!



Mr. Hart and the speed of PS beat me to it...

[Pip Madeley]

Reading it back, it very carefully says DT will only be in the specials, and doesn't actually confirm if he'll be around after that... it could be that we have a new "showrunner" and Doctor starting at the same time for series 5, which would be a good clean start...

Si xx

It says on the BBC news page:

A spokeswoman for Doctor Who said she was unable to comment whether Tennant would return for the 2010 series.

So you could well be right. In fact, I'd bet money on Tennant not doing series five. In which case, The David Tennant Years 2005-2009 is impressive for this day and age.

[Dave Tudor]

Doctor Who for another three years? Excellent!

Probably a good idea to give Tennant a break too.

Agreed - this, to me, shows a real long-term commitment and faith in the series, and I'm sure Tennant will be glad of the break. Presuming, of course, as Si notes, that he'll actually be back for the fifth series!

I don't think it will kill off the series for the kids, though, as the specials will effectively be a series, so it won't even be off air in 2009. However, I can imagine certain tabloids reporting this as a 'cancellation', and that the series is doomed!

I wonder when they'll broadcast the three specials, though? My guess is Easter, August Bank Holiday and Christmas - what does anyone else think?

Oh, and did anyone else, on seeing the BBC News headline 'No Doctor Who return until 2010' fear the worst and think that the fourth series had been postponed for a couple of years!?

[Larry]

have to say I think it's not a bad idea to rest the series for a year so i'm reasonably happy with this .

[Pip Madeley]

Oh, and did anyone else, on seeing the BBC News headline 'No Doctor Who return until 2010' fear the worst and think that the fourth series had been postponed for a couple of years!?

I think it's been altered, it now says BBC reveals Doctor Who 'gap year' which sounds rather sweet.

[Milky Tears]

Eighteen Tennant episodes already confirmed (Series Four, Two Christmas Specials plus Three 2009 Specials) and some fans will still be having a breakdown on OG.

Times coverage:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co....cle2379603.ece

September 3, 2007
Tennant takes a break from the Tardis
Adam Sherwin Media Correspondent

To be Doctor Who or not to be...? David Tennant is to take a break from the Tardis to deliver his Hamlet for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Producers have allowed Tennant, 36, to fulfil his Shakespeare ambitions. He will play the Danish prince in a Stratford-Upon-Avon production, due to run from July to November next year. It will rule him out of filming a 2009 series of Doctor Who.

The BBC feared Tennant would leave Doctor Who altogether after next year’s series, which is currently being shot. Tennant wishes to pursue further stage and screen projects.

Under a compromise agreement, Tennant is expected to return to the role for the sci-fi show’s fifth series since its revival, in 2010. He has agreed to film three extended bank holiday specials to keep fan’s happy during 2009.

However such long-term planning is rare in the fickle world of television and both the BBC and Tennant may have different plans come 2010.

BBC One is seeking new “family drama” hits for Saturday night. Merlin, a revival of the King Arthur legend, is already in production. A new series of Robin Hoodis set to challenge the dominance of ITV1’s The X Factorthis Autumn.

The award-winning Tennant, installed after Christopher Eccleston left after one series, is now firmly established as the Doctor. He recently completed an HBO film, Einstein And Eddington, in which he plays the British scientist, Sir Arthur Eddington.

In a further sci-fi twist, Patrick Stewart, the former Star Trek star, will play Hamlet’s uncle Claudius, alongside the screen Time Lord at Stratford.

Catherine Tate returns to the Tardis as the Doctor’s assistant in the Spring series, reprising her role as Donna from last year's Christmas special. Kylie Minogue guest stars in this year’s Titanic-set festive episode.

Jane Tranter, Controller, BBC Fiction, said: “Doctor Who is one of the BBC’s best loved and most successful dramas. I’m delighted to be able to confirm not only three exciting specials for 2009, but a fifth series in 2010.”

"No mention of Series SIX!! It's a frikkin scandal!! tHE Show iz bigger than RTD and Tennent. How very dare they!! what arrogance! they managed it for 26 years. bring in Moffeettt and Sparrow, etc, etc..."

[Darren]

Yay! He can go backpacking in Bangkok.

[Rob McCow]

Sounds to me like a very good plan. And quite right they can't confirm Tennant for 2010. How many of you know if you'll still be in the same job 3 years from now?!

[Larry]

don'y know about any body else but having 3 specials next year for me would be an ideal oppotunity to have an episode based around The Time War, and make it a regeneration story that finally clears up the mystery of what happened to the 8th Doctor.

[Larry]

Sounds to me like a very good plan. And quite right they can't confirm Tennant for 2010. How many of you know if you'll still be in the same job 3 years from now?!

I could not say i'll be in the same job 3 months from now.

[Lord President]

When I first read this earlier this afternoon, I began to panic, as we are being denied at least 6.75hrs of new DW in 2009. However, upon reflection, it does mean that when S5 hits the screens they will have had enough time to make it a scorcher!

I can live with the 3 specials, Torchwood, and SJS to keep me company, as long as they don't do it too often!

[Captain Tancredi]

Strikes me as a sensible compromise and the specials could do well in terms of rationing the output- treat 'em mean and keep 'em keen, as I believe William Hartnell used to say. As regards Series 5, the point is probably that while at the moment it's a phantom season with no cast or production team, it exists on the BBC's balance sheet for 2010 so resources can be allocated to it and possibly even amortised over the next couple of years to spread the costs in a financially-strapped BBC.

And Tennant? Well, the way it's been set up is that he can walk at the end of the last special if he wants to (in fact, there probably couldn't be a better time, although if it did turn out to be a regeneration story then it might do better at New Year than at Christmas) but he doesn't have to if he doesn't want to. And the people making the decisions and committing the money now may well not be the ones who actually have to make decisions in a couple of years.

[Paul Hayes]

Obviously it seems as if it's a shame that we'll have less Doctor Who in 2009, but it's nice to know that we have a show with an assured future for the next three years at least. Overall, I think most of all I'm relieved that we finally have an answer to all of the rumour and speculation.

Doctor Who is great, it's here to stay and The Time Warrior is out on DVD. Hurrah!

[Larry]

I think if any thing this shows how desperate the BBC, were/are to keep hold of David Tennant, and by only having 3 specials in 2009 it gives him the oppotunity to have some considerable amount of time off to and do other things. It also means that RTD can go off and concentrate on other projects and perhaps the BBC are using this as a sweatner for them to both come back and do series 5.

[Andrew Curnow]

I hesitate to ask, but is there an Ian Levine "I Was Right" thread on the internet somewhere?

Personally, I can't really say I'm too bothered by this news - for one thing, I would assume the specials will be AT LEAST an hour long (ie a la the Christmas ones) and possible longer. Aren't Bank Holiday specials usually 90 minutes or so? In which case we'd probably be getting close to the equivalent of 3 two-parters (or nigh on half a series).

I guess it'll be a long time now before we know if Tennant will return for the 2010 season - if he does I'd imagine it'll certainly be his last (coming back for a lap of honour, as it were); but it's bound to depend on how much he enjoys doing other work 'full-time' and how much he misses doing Who. At least this way it means that he will be the face of Doctor Who for the next 2 years+.

And at least now we know!!!

[Jonno]

I'm perfectly happy with this news - I mean here we are in 2007 now knowing that we have episodes on screen for each of the next three years. AFAIK it's the first time in the show's history we've known that far ahead!

And with two spinoffs in production, we've never had it so good!

[WhiteCrow]

have to say I think it's not a bad idea to rest the series for a year so i'm reasonably happy with this .

I guess it's the worried fanboy in me who heard after Survival, "Doctor Who will be taking a break for a while but is scheduled to return ...".

[Si Hunt]

This is inevitable - it's become obvious to me lately that the current makers of Doctor Who can't go on indefinately. It's not like Tennant, RTD, Gardener, Collinson etc. can zip off for a break... it's the same people doing this six day a week job virtually all year. It just can't go on forever. I fully expected them to stop it for a year after Season 4. However, what I'm pleased about, and what we had no right to expect, was for them to effectively confirm three specials in that time AND a series in the year to follow. It means Doctor Who is safe for the next three years. We can't ask for more than that.

Si.

[duncan]

But what about the longer term?

I have seen this done to other shows and they end up being axed due to the loss of millions of viewers. LOST is a prime example of this as they had mid season breaks and in that few months, viewers lose interest. In the last few years, London's Burning and Bad Girls did the same and were axed at the end of the next series.

If it aint broke, it don't need fixing. I'd prefer to change the production team and lead actor at the end of series four if they are all Doctored out and need a break.

[Pip Madeley]

If anything, I think the kids will be looking forward to every new episode - and the increased publicity surround each special won't do any harm to the ratings. During a 13 week run there tends to be a few episodes that get the short end of the stick when it comes to promotion (Human Nature/The Family Of Blood weren't even trailered on BBC1 for instance).