Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi says the sci-fi show has become "a bit too big" and he doesn't know "why people take it so seriously"

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Peter Capaldi might have left Doctor Who in 2017, but he still has thoughts about the show.

Ncuti Gatwa has most recently wrapped up his run as the Doctor, after replacing Jodie Whittaker in the role. So far, a new Doctor has not been announced, though Billie Piper seemingly took over from Gatwa at the end of his final episode.

"It reflects its times and it's a good thing in the world, though it's become a bit too big, too important for the BBC or whoever," Capaldi told The Times, in reference to Gatwa and Whittaker's casting (Whittaker was the first woman to play the Doctor, and Gatwa the first openly queer Black man to play the role). "When I was a kid and watched it, it was just a monster show in the corner of the room. I don't know why people take it so seriously."

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The future of Doctor Who is currently unclear, though there is a Christmas special confirmed for 2026. But, Disney Plus will no longer be in partnership with the BBC.

"We'd like to thank Disney Plus for being terrific global partners and collaborators over the past two seasons, and for the upcoming The War Between the Land and the Sea," said the BBC's director of drama Lindsay Salt. "The BBC remains fully committed to Doctor Who, which continues to be one of our most loved dramas, and we are delighted that Russell T. Davies has agreed to write us another spectacular Christmas special for 2026. We can assure fans, the Doctor is not going anywhere, and we will be announcing plans for the next series in due course which will ensure the TARDIS remains at the heart of the BBC."

While you wait for the Doctor Who Christmas special, check out our guide to the most exciting upcoming TV shows to fill out your watchlist.

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Molly EdwardsSenior Entertainment Writer

I'm a Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film section. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.

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