Russell T. Davies Takes Aim at BBC Boss Over His ‘Doctor Who’ AI Episode Comments

Few figures are as closely tied to ‘Doctor Who’ as Russell T Davies. The writer revived the beloved sci-fi series in 2005, ran it until 2010, and returned as showrunner and head writer from 2023 to 2025, alongside a career that includes ‘Queer As Folk’, ‘It’s A Sin’, ‘Years And Years’ and the spin-offs ‘Torchwood’ and ‘The Sarah Jane Adventures’.

The show’s future has been in flux lately. The BBC scrapped its planned 2026 Christmas special, and Davies, along with production company Bad Wolf, is exiting as the broadcaster puts the series out to competitive tender.

Against that backdrop, BBC director-general Matt Brittin stirred controversy last month. Speaking at the Royal Television Society conference in September, he said he had watched an unofficial episode of ‘Doctor Who’ made entirely by AI and described it as pretty good.

Brittin quickly added that AI was not going to replace humans, but his remarks drew instant criticism. He later acknowledged that he had landed himself in trouble over what he said.

Now Davies has weighed in. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s ‘The Media Show’, the outgoing showrunner called Brittin’s comment clumsy, noting that the BBC employs writers and artists who are the first to suffer from this kind of technology.

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Davies also revealed that his own inbox was flooded with messages after the remarks, joking that he could only imagine how full Brittin’s must have been. He suggested Brittin, who joined the BBC in March after a career at Google, hasn’t been in television long and may be less outspoken with his opinions in the future.

The writer made clear he does not use AI when writing his scripts. He said he is very much worried that the technology could eventually start replacing writers. Davies added that he was shocked by stories of some writers using AI prompts to produce first drafts, questioning what they would be getting paid for otherwise.

For him, human creativity should always lead, with technology only ever serving as a tool. The exchange taps into a much broader conversation across the entertainment world. Creatives have grown increasingly anxious about the role AI could play in writing and production, making comments from a public broadcaster’s leader especially sensitive.

That a fully AI-generated episode of one of Britain’s most iconic shows exists at all highlights just how quickly the technology is moving. For many in the industry, Davies’ response captured exactly why Brittin’s praise struck a nerve.

Despite the uncertainty, Davies offered fans some reassurance about the show’s future. He said audiences can expect to see production begin with a brand-new Doctor and a brand-new companion in the summer of next year.

The update comes after the BBC confirmed the Christmas special would no longer go ahead. The broadcaster has said that putting the show out to tender is meant to secure its future for years to come.

During the same interview, Davies also shared a candid look at the demands of making the series. He admitted he used to dread going on a ‘Doctor Who’ set because of the explosions, special effects, and actors being fitted into prosthetics, calling it more difficult than any other set.

As he prepares to step away, Davies remains one of the show’s most passionate defenders. His willingness to publicly challenge the BBC’s own boss shows how strongly he feels about protecting the people who bring the series to life.

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