Doctor Who will continue for another five years at least, says Steven Moffat

BBC's head of drama said the sci-fi series could easily go on for 50 years

Buttoned up: Peter Capaldi and Michelle Gomez in Doctor Who (BBC)

Steven Moffat may not have a time machine – but he can promise that Doctor Who will last for five more years.

The executive producer of the BBC’s flagship sci-fi drama said he was amazed the show had lasted ten years, and hoped it could continue for over 20 more years to come.

“I didn’t think it would last 10 years with BBC Worldwide trying to get me in a room to talk about their plan for the next five years. It’s going to do a minimum of 15. I mean, it could do 26,” he told Doctor Who magazine.

The drama, which was rebooted in 2005 after a 16 year hiatus, continues to rate well on BBC1 with around 5 million viewers per episode and pulls in an average 2.3 million on BBC America.

“Ten years on, our ratings are pretty much the same. Actually, internationally, bigger. No show does that! You’re meant to go down! Doctor Who just stays. It’s extraordinary!” he said.

Ben Stephenson, head of BBC drama, did not rule out the chance of series lasting another 50 years.

“Because it’s such an amazing format, because you can constantly revive it and re-imagine it, then as long as the people looking after it are passionate about it and the BBC is passionate about it, there’s absolutely no reason why it can’t do another 50 years,” he said.

The next series of Doctor Who has begun filming in Cardiff and is due to air later this autumn.

The BBC has confirmed Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams will make a guest appearance in series nine.

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