Peter Capaldi Says Doctor Who Has a Major Problem: “People in BBC Don’t Really Understand It”

Peter Capaldi has questioned whether the BBC truly understands Doctor Who, suggesting that its success depends on being made by people who genuinely love it.

Speaking on the Half the Picture podcast in a recent interview, the Twelfth Doctor actor expressed concerns about how the BBC approaches the programme and its future.

“I sometimes think people in BBC don’t really understand it,” Capaldi said. “I think that’s kind of a problem. I think people don’t really know what it’s supposed to be.”

The actor suggested that relatively few television professionals fully appreciate what makes Doctor Who work, pointing to showrunners Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat as examples of people whose lifelong affection for the series informed their approach.

“That’s why the show is made by Russell and you know and Steven and all that because they love it and they loved it from when they were little,” he explained.

Capaldi suggested that the programme’s creative direction should be entrusted to people who understand its history and distinctive appeal, rather than being dictated by executives.

“I don’t think there were any executives that the BBC said had a checklist of things that should be in it. I think it had to be left to Russell to do that.”

He also reiterated concerns about the growing importance of branding and the potential impact of turning creative works into large-scale entertainment franchises.

“I’m slightly concerned about branding and the scale of that and what that does to a piece of work,” he said.

Despite his reservations, Capaldi remained optimistic about the future of Doctor Who, believing that the programme could continue to thrive under the right creative leadership.

“I think it’s going to be fine,” he said. “I think it’ll always work. It needs love.”