Amazon Open to Doctor Who Future Talks, Netflix Also Weighs In

With questions still hanging over what comes next for Doctor Who, two of the world’s biggest streaming services have now been asked whether they could play a part in the show’s future.

The subject came up earlier this week at the Edinburgh TV Festival, where executives from both Prime Video and Netflix were quizzed about their potential interest in the series.

According to Deadline, Prime Video’s Oliver Jones, Senior Commissioner for UK Scripted, was asked about the possibility of Amazon becoming involved with Doctor Who.

“I love Doctor Who, and we welcome any conversations around IP,” Jones said.

The comments come as Amazon significantly increases its spending on UK programming. Amazon MGM Studios executive Nicole Clemens said the company was “open for business”, with commissioning decisions and budgets now sitting with its UK team.

Netflix UK content boss Anne Mensah faced the same question during the streamer’s Spotlight panel at the festival, when she was asked whether Netflix might be interested in the BBC’s upcoming competitive tender for Doctor Who.

Mensah said: “I love Doctor Who,” adding that a show which has remained successful for so long will have “many, many lives”.

Speaking later to Radio Times after the panel, she revealed that she had been “obsessed with Doctor Who” and was also full of praise for Russell T Davies, despite Davies having now stepped away from the series.

Mensah said she would jump at the opportunity to work with him again, calling the writer a “freaking genius”.

The timing makes those comments curious, although there is nothing to suggest she was hinting at any Netflix involvement with Doctor Who.

Asked directly about the series, Mensah instead said: “I think Doctor Who belongs on the BBC.”

She described it as “a really special show” and recalled being at the BBC when Jane Tranter oversaw its return in 2005.

For now, Netflix appears less likely to play a part in the show’s future, while Amazon has at least left the door open to a conversation.