Russell T Davies renews attention on Doctor Who amid cancellation reports

Russell T Davies has responded to reports that Doctor Who has been cancelled, saying that this is not true.

Earlier this week, the BBC announced that this year's planned Christmas special would not go ahead. It was also confirmed that Davies and production company Bad Wolf would no longer be involved with the show.

The future of Doctor Who is currently uncertain because the BBC is looking for a new production company. The series has been put out to tender, meaning companies can submit proposals to produce the show.

Speaking to Gaydio, Davies said many news reports were wrong to describe the situation as a cancellation.

"It's the opposite," he said. "The show has been put out to tender." Davies explained that some people may not understand what the term means, but it does not mean the end of the series.

He pointed out that other BBC programmes, including the medical drama Casualty, have gone through a similar process and continued to air.

Davies also said several production companies are likely interested in taking over Doctor Who. He said he is not involved in the selection process because it is being handled separately.

Davies further suggested that the tender process could actually secure the show's future for several years. He explained that companies would not bid to produce the programme for only one year because it would not make financial sense.

Because of this, he believes the process could help guarantee more years of Doctor Who.

Meanwhile, it was also announced that casting director Andy Pryor is leaving the franchise after 21 years. He described his time working on the show as a "long, happy and thrilling era."

Doctor Who and its spin-offs are available to stream on BBC iPlayer. A new animated Doctor Who series is also being developed for CBeebies.