The former showrunner spoke exclusively to RadioTimes.com at the Radio Times Covers Party last night.

By Patrick Cremona

Published: Wednesday, 01 February 2023 at 12:00 am


We’re still a fair few months away from the return of Doctor Who for its 60th anniversary celebrations, but it’s safe to say that excitement is already at a very high level – and that excitement extends to former showrunner Steven Moffat.

Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com about the future of the sci-fi series at the Radio Times Covers Party, Moffat teased that he’d already been told a lot about what lies in store in Russell T Davies’s second stint as boss – although he couldn’t be persuaded to let any secrets out.

He did explain that Davies will make use of the format’s “infinite adaptability” and outlined his hope that the iconic sci-fi can last forever.

“I just want it to go on,” he said. “I want it to not stop. I want it to, and I know [Russell’s] going to, make use of its infinite adaptability to always be the number one predator in the environment.”

He added: “That’s what I want. I want it to go on forever. I believe it can. Like the stories of Robin Hood and King Arthur and Sherlock Holmes. Some things always go on.”

Moffat famously served as showrunner between 2010 and 2017, having previously been a writer on the show during Davies’s original tenure, but he has revealed he has no plans to follow his predecessor in returning to the show any time soon – even to write an episode.

“It would be career madness even by my standard to go back into a junior capacity on a show I used to run,” he said. “I would have to be insane to do that!”

Additional reporting by Louise Griffin.