Doctor Who Showrunner responds to fans disappointment after BBC make huge change to Doctor Who schedule

Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has responded to fan’s disappointment over changes to the series release schedule on BBC, in what will be the first season of Doctor Who to air after the broadcaster struck a deal with Disney Plus.

To coincide with the new partnership, UK viewers will be left to adjust to a new release schedule, which will see episodes drop at the same time around the world. This means that viewers in America can enjoy episodes in the early evening, whilst UK fans will either have to stay up until midnight or avoid spoilers and wait until the following evening to tune in. Writing in the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine, Davies addressed fan’s concerns, but explained that the new release schedule was the “future” of television. He wrote: “And now we have 2024. With plenty of warning of the new pattern, for you to plan ahead and choose your own viewing. And that’s the point: choice. You’re not having to change your habits to fit the show, the show is changing to fit you.”

Davies continued: “And it’s changing to adopt the patterns of all modern TV shows. Yes, I think all of them, very soon. This is the future, and it’s here, right now."

Addressing fan’s worries, he said: “But seriously, I’m not making light of this. I can hear the worries. It’s easy to say 'stay offline' when your health or job or nature might make that impossible. And I’m sorry, because then, yes, spoilers will fly." Adding: “Unfortunately, there’s always been a subset of viewers hitting the spoiler problem, like the tons of people who work Saturdays and on night shifts. They’ve had to negotiate this for years.”

When can I watch Doctor Who season 14?

Doctor Who season 14 will be airing differently than previous seasons after the BBC and Disney Plus struck a deal in November 2023. Episodes will now drop at midnight on BBC iPlayer, airing at the same time on Disney Plus for US audiences, before it will become available to watch on BBC One on Saturday evening.

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Sarah McCann is a Trends Writer for NationalWorld who specialises in stories around TV, Film and Health. If you liked this article you can follow Sarah on X (Twitter) here. You can also share your thoughts in the comment section below.