Doctor Who won't go on forever. At some point it will end and it will end for good. Who knows when that will be. But it will happen.

I think the line-up sounds perfectly solid too. The docudrama is a very nice touch, and it sounds like there'll be a number of retrospective programmes too.

A couple of years ago EastEnders turned 25 - it got a live episode, a BBC 3 retrospective and a special edition of The Weakest Link! Coronation Street - which, like it or not, is probably the single most significant show in British TV history - got a similar deal for its 50th. Both were made special by the quality and the content of their respective story lines - not by whitewashing TV with endless hours of extra spin offs and stuff.

I'm not sure exactly what Who fans were expecting.

Maybe, but they'll have to be subtle about it, or they'll have a load of angry doable barkers on their case.


Rumoured they're doing a live show from the Whocon on BBC1 on 23/11.

A fact that many fail to accept.

We were expecting more Who than ever before, as that's what we were told there would be.

Actually, we are getting less.

I'm not sure what's so difficult to understand about that?

I doubt that.

They also cancelled it in 1989, and it didn't come back properly for 16 years.

amazingly, the world kept turning, and no one at the beeb got stoned by an angry mob as a consequence....

No they didn't, they said it was being rested and would come back. Technically accurate.

At the time that promise was made Moffat was under the impression his plans were given the green light by the BBC. Then they pulled the plug on a few of the plans and it scuppered any hope of more Who than ever.

However, if S8 filming begins not long after the Xmas ep filming finishes then the likelihood will be S8 airing next summer/autumn. Between Nov13 and Nov14 we will there for get two special eps and a full 13 ep series. That really will be more Who in a 12 month period than we've seen since 2005.

The promise may not be broken just yet.

And who promised that - things change....

The BBC signed to present f1 exclusively. Yet in 2012 were forced to share its coverage with Sky over costs, renegotiating the original deal, much to the annoyance of F1 fans.

This was over costs, who is to say that a decision over dr who is not for similar reasons?

You sound like you know something that no no else does...?

Equally they didn't have the balls to say it had been cancelled though did they!

I'd simply love to see a one-hour chat show with as many Doctors and companions available to sit and chat about the old AND new days. Maybe Jonathan Ross could be the host, he's a DW Fan (OOps! I don't think the BBC would allow him in!) OK - put it on ITV!

Many have claimed on these forums that Dr Who will never be cancelled, so clearly they would not be able to accept the idea of cancellation.

It isn't a secret that some of the 50th Who plans were cancelled due to budget constraints. It just isn't talked about much either for obvious reasons. Moffat feels like he's let people down already. He feels as bad about it as the fans do but people don't understand that.

Quite possibly the 14 episode amount we got in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011. But instead in this year of all years we've lost four episodes after already losing eight last year as well. All in all over the last two calender years we've lost a whole series!

Surely they must have saved enough from the eight we lost last year to make up the extra four this year?

This is all news to me. What was cancelled due to budget constraints?

The 11 Doctor animated special for a start

I hope you are right, though I won't hold my breath.

I think the promise was made about this (the anniversary) year, though, so it has actually already been broken, hasn't it?

Do you work for the BBC, btw? It's the only reason I can think of why people spring to their defence (when actually there is no defence) by speculating about how good it's all going to be next year. Déja vu.

I thought the 50th special and the Christmas episode would be the final ones filmed this year? Not that I know that as fact or anything, infact far from it, it was just the impression I was given by other users that they wouldn't start filming s8 until 2014. Although, with Sherlock out of the way and the team already together for the two specials later this year it would make sense for work to start on s8 this year and for it to air completely in 2014. Is there any news or hints as to the filming schedule yet?

As far as I am aware it wasn't in the original plan to have only one episode. But that decision was changed because they thought it would work better as a one night spectacular rather. It also of course saved them money for the 3D aspect. If it had been more than one episode the 3D wouldn't have happened.

There were animations planned that had to be cancelled too.

But basically with the budget they were given it was either one 3D episode that would also be shown in cinemas or a series of specials, probably 3/4, but without 3D and without the cinema release. They chose the former. It was all about making something quality rather than lots of quantity. We'll see in Nov if that was the right thing to do.

That was cancelled because the "BBC didn’t want anything to distract from production of the tv show." Nothing to do with budgets as far as I know...

"Many"? Really? "Never"? Really?

You do make funny posts, I'll give you that.

So the 3D special is costing the same as 3/4 regular episodes? I know which I would have preferred but that is the first time I have ever heard of that being the option...

Whatever anyone feels they may have been promised or believe they are entitled to, the reality is what it is! The decisions are being made by those who do not automatically share the love of Dr Who, their over-riding concern is the bottom line. However, The Dr is on the telly, will be in the cinemas in 3D this winter, with further programming scheduled to mark the anniversary. OK, so many may have been hoping for more, but it ain't going to happen - but surely what we are getting is better than nowt!