RTD Admits Doctor Who Series 14 Isn’t Hitting “the Ratings We’d Love,” but Notes Under-30s Growth

Russell T Davies has admitted that the initial ratings for Series 14 have not met the team’s high expectations for Doctor Who. However, he says the 28-day figures and metrics from younger viewers are faring much better.

In the latest issue of the Radio Times, Davies said: “I’m very proud of it! You know, they might not be the ratings we’d love. We always want higher. But they are building over the 28-day period. Episode 1, Space Babies, is already up to 5.6 million and counting. So it is getting there.”

Davies highlighted his success in attracting a younger audience to the show (under 30s): “I was brought back in to bring in a youthful audience. That’s been massively successful.”

He also touched on the broader challenges faced by traditional television in capturing younger audiences: “The audience no one ever gets are the under-30s. They just don’t watch television anymore. But those figures are astronomic for Doctor Who, it’s their top programme in that bracket.”

He adds: “I never thought it was possible, to be honest. But according to the people who juggle the numbers, all targets have been reached and exceeded. The BBC are running around like mad things.”

With all that said, Davies noted that the show’s future beyond 2025 is “still up in the air“.