The BBC considered axing ‘Doctor Who’ after David Tennant quit the series in 2009.
Executive producer Steven Moffat has revealed BBC bosses were so worried about fans accepting a new actor as the Time Lord they nearly ended the sci-fi drama upon David’s departure as the Tenth Doctor.
Steven is quoted by DoctorWhoTV.co.uk as saying: "I think there were plans maybe to consider ending it.
"David owned that role in a spectacular way, gave it an all-new cheeky, sexy performance, and became a national treasure.
"So the idea that ‘Doctor Who’ could go on at all in the absence of David was a huge question.
"I didn’t realise how many people thought it wouldn’t succeed at all. That was quite terrifying when I found out about it later."
However, it was former executive producer Russell T. Davies – who resurrected the show in 2005 – that managed to convince the BBC to continue the series.
Steven added: "It was Russell T. Davies saying, ‘You are not allowed to end it’ [that kept it going]."
Matt Smith succeeded David in 2010 and was the titular Doctor until the 2013 Christmas special, when Peter Capaldi took on the lead role.
Doctor Who nearly ended after David Tennant
