DOCTOR WHO: PHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE 'WANTED TO HELP REBOOT SERIES'
As revealed earlier this Autumn, the BBC and Disney Branded Television have come together to transform Doctor Who into a global franchise for UK audiences and the rest of the world.
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Reports from The Sun tonight suggest that bosses are keen on signing Phoebe Waller-Bridge to help refresh the long-running BBC series. A source told The Sun: "This is all part of a huge effort to deliver a huge reboot of Doctor Who and turn it into a global superbrand on a par with Star Wars and Marvel...
"That’s why Disney+ recently signed a deal with the Beeb which would allow the show to spend a whopping £10million an episode and give it first class visual effects. But as part of that reinvention they also want writing which will match the investment they’re making in the show - and Phoebe is now considered one of the best in the business...
They continued: "It’s a question of whether they can come up with a strong enough deal to entice her to Doctor Who given she’ll be constantly swamped with offers from around the world."
The BBC declined to comment on these reports.
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Broadcast has previously reported that Doctor Who's existing budget of £1-3m per episode could triple with an episodic budget of £10m. This would transform Doctor Who into a £100,000,000 franchise.
A source told the publication: "The BBC had to make the decision for the future success of Doctor Who because any show of scale needs a partner. Reliability is the most important factor irrespective of how many episodes you make or who the Doctor is...
"If you can bring in a single partner with one distribution agreement, while retaining exclusivity in the UK, that is the best of both worlds for the BBC."
The BBC shared at the time: Under a shared creative vision, they will deliver this quintessentially British show to future generations on an unprecedented scale with Disney+ as the exclusive home for new seasons of Doctor Who outside the UK and Ireland.
Both partners have aligned under returning showrunner Russell T Davies' bold vision, who takes control of the TARDIS in 2023.
Russell T Davies says: "I love this show, and this is the best of both worlds – with the vision and joy of the BBC and Disney+ together we can launch the TARDIS all around the planet, reaching a new generation of fans while keeping our traditional home firmly on the BBC in the UK."
The new episodes will premiere on the BBC and Disney+ beginning in late 2023 for fans all over the world. The show will be produced in Wales by Bad Wolf with BBC Studios Production.