David Tennant could save Doctor Who by making a shock return as the Time Lord following reports that the show could be axed after 62 years.
The actor, 53, previously reprised his role as the Time Lord in 2023 for a trio of 60th anniversary specials, after first taking on the coveted gig in 2005.
It has since been reported that fellow Scots actor Ncuti Gatwa is preparing to leave the BBC show after just two series over a lack of clarity around the future.
It has been claimed that he has already filmed his regeneration exit scene with bosses at Disney+yet to confirm an extension of their current deal.
Some critics have claimed viewers are turning their back on the show for being too ‘preachy and woke’.
Bosses at Disney+ have stated they are waiting to assess the performance of the upcoming second series before deciding whether to continue with their deal.
In recent years, Doctor Who has come under fire from fans over “woke” and convoluted storylines and the introduction of transgender and non-binary characters, as well as a villain played by a drag queen.
Bookies odds show Tennant is one of the favourites to take over the famous role, despite previously stating that he was too old to return.
He is 5/1 to become the permanent replacement for Gatwa, placing him third in the betting, while other favourites include Josh O’Connor, with odds of 2/1, and Jack Lowden at 4/1.
Lee Astley, spokesperson for betideas.com, said: “Ncuti Gatwa’s tenure as Dr Who appears to be coming to a premature end and we reckon there’s a firm chance the BBC turn to David Tennant once again to try and steer the series back on track.
“Tennant is arguably the most-loved Doctor in the programme’s history and is 5/1 to replace Gatwa on a full-time basis after his cameos in 2023, placing him behind only Josh O’Connor and Jack Lowden in the betting.”
While the BBC has hit back at claims that Doctor Who could be shelved, sources have told The Times newspaper that it is unusual that there no plans in place for a third series.
An insider said: “Normally shows this big begin pre-production work long in advance and often while a series is being shot. One would expect series three work to be happening now and for the production to be clear on who the Doctor will be.
“If the BBC cannot confirm a continuation of the Disney deal then it is a worrying sign. Perhaps Disney is waiting to see if the second series performs well, but it’s hardly a sign of faith in the show.
“That delay will mean it is impossible to make a third series within the next year or even two if it gets the go-ahead.”
Crews on the show allegedly fear that this could spell the end of the series after a whopping 62 years.
“Ncuti doesn’t want to be tied to the series beyond this and plans to relocate to Los Angeles with several Hollywood projects standing by for him,” a source told the Sun.
“His team also see a lot of fan backlash from the series, and don’t want the perception of him still being The Doctor to get in the way of any future work.
“The show has been poorly managed in recent years and there’s a lot of people who’ve been working on this show for years and now being cast aside due to poor leadership.”
The insider added that people had warned that the episodes were becoming “too caught up on an agenda” rather than focusing “telling a story”, with those people apparently being “shouted down” and “ignored”.
However, a Doctor Who spokesperson added: “Doctor Who has not been shelved. As we have previously stated, the decision on season 3 will be made after season 2 airs. The deal with Disney+ was for 26 episodes — and exactly half of those still have to transmit.”
Back in October, it was said that the future of Doctor Who was in doubt and questions had been raised about whether Gatwa will return for a third series.
The future of the hit sci-fi show may not be so secure after it was revealed that there will be a gap of at least two years following the second outing of the star as the titular character next year.
The extended wait could mean the Scottish actor might not return at all.
Doctor Who producer Russell T Davies previously said “no decision” had been made yet for the line-up of series three in July.
Appearing at Comic Con in San Diego alongside Gatwa and Millie Gibson, the screenwriter spoke about what was in store for the science fiction show.
Davies, 61, admitted decisions about who would star in series three haven’t been made yet as they are still in the middle of filming the second season at the time.
The screenwriter said: “We’ve shot season two, but that’s only halfway through. We’ve got all those months of post to come. It’s a long way off, so no decisions yet.”
William Hartnell played the first Doctor from 1963-1966.
Jodie Whittaker became the first and only female Doctor in 2017, a role she held for five years.
Scots actors Sylvester McCoy, Tennant and Peter Capaldi have all played the Doctor with Gatwa taking the role and becoming the first black Doctor in 2023.