Actor David Tennant has boosted his fortune to £5 million as the BBC puts Doctor Who out to competitive tender following a creative rethink.
Figures lodged with Companies House show the 55-year-old actor increased the value of his bank balance thanks to his return to the BBC franchise and roles in television dramas, including the Disney+ hit Rivals. Tennant reprised his role as The Doctor in a trio of 60th Anniversary Specials back in 2023.
Reports claimed that a production company tendering a bid for Doctor Who had approached Tennant about returning to the role to save the struggling series. However, producer Dean Devlin, who was thought to be interested in the star, told The Daily Mail that these claims are "untrue."
Sandyboy Limited and No Mystery financial accounts
Accounts obtained by The Times show that Tennant's company, Sandyboy Limited, currently holds assets worth £3,776,248, including a property investment portfolio worth £3 million. Tennant founded the company in 2005, and it is thought to be named after his late father, Sandy McDonald.
Sandyboy Limited owes creditors just over £1.4 million, leaving it with a total value of £2,367,151. Tennant's second firm, No Mystery Limited, holds £2,776,865 in the bank after paying off creditors, marking an increase of more than £450,000 compared to the previous year.
Tennant is listed as a director of both companies alongside his wife, actress Georgia Moffett, whom he married in 2011.
Electric Entertainment production discussions and BBC tender
The Times reported that Devlin's company, Electric Entertainment, is in talks with the BBC about a new series. Devlin previously worked as a producer and co-writer on feature films including Stargate, Independence Day, and Godzilla.
Devlin clarified his company's position to The Daily Mail, stating: "It is untrue that we have had negotiations with the BBC. Preliminary or otherwise. When the proper time comes when they are prepared to speak with people, we certainly hope to have a discussion with them."
Showrunner Russell T Davies and production company Bad Wolf TV have also parted ways with the series. Bad Wolf TV insisted that Davies had never written a script for a festive special or begun a search to cast the next incarnation of The Doctor. Plans to reboot the show and find new partners could take several years, with a new series not expected on screen until 2028.
Disney fallout and episode budget challenges
According to Deadline, BBC bosses will launch a competitive tender for a 16th series of Doctor Who, allowing producers to pitch ideas to revamp the show. However, the publication reported that respected producers approached by the broadcaster are reluctant to take on the project, with one noting it could be five years before Doctor Who returns to television screens.
One producer told Deadline: "[It's a] bit of a nightmare for any producer in this market with the shadow of the Disney fallout. It's hard to see another major U.S. studio replacing Disney. So the budget would be hard to get above £3M ($4M) [per episode] without significant co-pro or insane investment from the distribution arm [BBC Studios], which they will struggle to recoup on sales."
Disney+ previously made a colossal investment in Doctor Who, spending an estimated £100 million on two seasons and specials before ending its big-budget partnership with the franchise.
BBC statement on scrapped Christmas episode
In June, fans were devastated when the BBC announced that an upcoming Doctor Who Christmas Special had been scrapped. The broadcaster explained the decision in an official statement: "As part of securing the next phase of the show for future generations, and in line with the BBC's Charter and Agreement requirements, the BBC will put Doctor Who out to competitive tender this year."
The BBC statement added: "Doctor Who remains an important part of the BBC and this tender underpins the BBC's continued commitment to Doctor Who ensuring audiences will enjoy the show for years to come. After careful consideration, the BBC, Russell T Davies and Bad Wolf have collectively decided not to go ahead with the previously announced Doctor Who Christmas episode."
The statement continued: "This decision was not taken lightly, and we know it will be disappointing for fans, but in order to set the show up for future series, it was decided that rather than bridge the gap with a one off special, we are choosing to push forward to invest in the long-term future of the show which ensures that when the TARDIS lands once more, it does so in all its glory."
The broadcaster noted that a new Doctor Who animation series for CBeebies is currently in production, while details of the competitive tender will be announced in due course. The BBC retains all intellectual property in Doctor Who, and BBC Studios will continue leading global distribution, licensing, consumer products, digital, and immersive experiences.
Russell T Davies Instagram post and series history
Davies took to Instagram shortly after the BBC announcement broke, writing: "And so GOODBYE from me to Doctor Who but HELLO to a big new future for the show, as the BBC announces it's putting the show out to tender. As a result, there won't be a Christmas Special - we only cooked that up to guarantee a future when no one knew what would happen, but now we do know, there's no need for it. You'll have to wait a bit longer for new Doctor Who… but you'll be waiting for MORE Doctor Who than a one-off."
Davies added: "So it's worth it! For the record: there was no script, I never wrote it, and no actor was ever approached to play the next Doctor. You may disagree; fine, sit in that chair and wait to be proved right. You'll wait a lonnng time. Now I'm as excited as anyone to see what comes next! Will they keep the theme tune? Will they lose the blue box? Will they bring back the Drahvin?! It's all up for grabs, which is so Doctor Who, exciting and unpredictable and new! Here comes the future, vworp vworp."
The sci-fi series was paused for an extended break following the end of its Disney+ partnership amid fan criticism regarding recent storylines. Insiders widely said the show will undergo a lengthy creative rethink following plots involving non-binary aliens, incels, and a pregnant male extra-terrestrial. Last year, exiting star Ncuti Gatwa's Time Lord regenerated into Billie Piper's former companion Rose Tyler.
