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.

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.

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.