Ever since it was announced that season 10 of Doctor Who will be showrunner Steven Moffat’s last, doubts have been cast over the longevity of Peter Capaldi’s tenure as the titular Time Lord. Hell, those rumors have actually been swirling around for even longer than that. But apparently the BBC wants Capaldi around for a while longer.




The actor has confirmed to the Radio Times that the BBC has asked him to stay on as the Twelfth Doctor for at least the show’s eleventh season, which will be the first under the auspices of Chris Chibnall. This isn’t a solid confirmation of Capaldi’s intent to stay on. Indeed, the actor went out of his way to clarify it’s not an offer he’s quite accepted yet:

I’ve been asked to stay on, but it’s such a long time before I have to make that decision. Steven’s been absolutely wonderful, so I love working with him. Chris is fantastic, and I think he’s a hugely talented guy. I don’t know where the show’s gonna go then. I don’t know. I have to make up my mind, and I haven’t yet.


This isn’t actually a new scenario for Who. The last time the series switched showrunners in 2009, David Tennant was asked by the BBC and Moffat to stay on after the departure of Russell T. Davies, and for a good while was going to. Moffat even had plans for a final year for the Tenth Doctor that would have still included Amy Pond as his new companion. But then the actor changed his mind, paving the way for a new Doctor to kick off Moffat’s run on the show.

Still, for those who hoping to see the Twelfth Doctor become the longest-running modern incarnation of the universe’s favorite Time Lord, this isn’t bad news at all. It’s just not a guarantee.

Contact the author at james.whitbrook@io9.com .