I'm sure this question has cropped up a lot on here, so I'm sorry about that.

If Russell T Davies' was due to leave anyway, then why did he suspend production on the fifth series? Isn't that a bit like stealing a piece of someone's cake but not eating it?

Tennant was doing Hamlet if I recall. Also, Davies wanted to rest it for one year before the Matt Smith era. Only specials were commissioned for that year.

Tennant did Hamlet because they weren't doing a series.

RTD says he wanted the new production team to have the extra time to prepare Series 5 - and this was the plan from 2007 as he was ready to step down.

Back when they were filming Series 2 RTD told the BBC that he would only do 4 series in total.

They wanted him to stay longer but in the end compromised with a year of Specials in place of a 5th Series.



This then allowed RTD to relax a bit
Gave Tennant time to do other stuff (he only got offered the role of Hamlet some months after the decision to do the Specials was made)
Gave Moffat and the new Production team extra time to pre-produce their first series (such as building a new TARDIS set that could be filmed in HD).



Tennant had always intended to leave the role at the same time that RTD stood down as showrunner but he almost changed his mind when he knew Moffat was taking over.

Moffat actually had a 10th Doctor Series 5 planned out which would have ended with Tennant regenerating into a new incarnation.

Ah. That's interesting to know.

I'm glad Tennant stayed with the RTD era. I hate to say it, but I think Moffat would've sent 10 downhill.

I don't agree, I think Moffat would have been good for the 10th Doctor. He already wrote some stories for him, so a full season would have been the same.

It was largely for budget reasons, as well as because RTD wanted it as a transitional period. Upper Boat got cut from two production teams to one, which meant they could no longer shoot DW and Torchwood simultaneously, but had to choose between either cancelling Torchwood entirely, or cutting both shows back to only a few episodes.

More so than smashing stuff up and chest beating "I could have done so much more!!!" and then tearfully saying "I don't want to go" after a long drawn-out farewell tour?

That was before a long drawn-out farewell tour.

I think it was nice. He didn't want to change, he got to know his own face. It's understandable.

Agreed 100%. RTD derailed Ten completely just by that. A complete shambles.

From what I recall, RTD had always planned to do four seasons of the show. Tennant, similarly, had planned to do the ''traditional'' three seasons in the role, but RTD wished to take a brief break to allow the new production team to get everything together, and DT stayed on for the specials as it was just a few extra episodes as opposed to a full series, but was tempted to stay on further when Moffat showed him some of what was planned for Series 5.

David Tennant was too busy apparently.

He was only busy because he wasn't doing a series of Doctor Who. Him somehow being responsible for the break started because of initial media reports about the gap year.

I have always wondered why anyone would want to give up the role of The Doctor never mind after only 3 years.

Indeed. I always get slightly annoyed when I see Tennant being blamed for the lack of Who in 2009. I recall the same happened with Smith during the various gaps and splits during his era, as he was blamed due to being involved with other projects, but as far as I know he got involved in those things because he was available due to Who being moved/postponed.

Unless something comes to light that we are not aware of....yep, pretty certain that was the case with both David and Matt.

What do you suppose?

Well, that breaks in the filming schedule of Who lead to them being available for other projects, basically, rather than the production being put on hold due to the actor having other commitments. ie What you said. I know there was a break in filming after the usual 9 months for Series 7, but would guess that was due to gearing up for the 50th and getting the new Doctor into place rather than Matt b*ggering off to do a film. Like the gap between Series 4 and 5 being about the change in studios/showrunners rather than David saying "No! There shalt not be a full series in 2009! One must tread the boards and give the world my Hamlet! They are ready. Forsooth."

Or something.

I almost think it would be better to give the lead actors time between series. I know, I know, gaps are not popular around here - but all we hear is about how intense and gruelling Who is to film. I think it would be good for the actors (and their longevity in the role) to have time off for other projects.