Doctor Who TV movie director reveals why he never returned to the series

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Geoffrey Sax, who directed the 1996 Doctor Who movie, has said he was asked to direct episodes when the show was brought back in 2005. However, he couldn’t accept because he was already committed to another project.

Sax directed the 1996 TV movie starring Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor, hoping to revive the classic BBC science fiction series for both British and American audiences.

Although plans for an American version didn’t work out, Doctor Who came back to television in 2005 with Russell T Davies as the new producer and Christopher Eccleston starring as the Ninth Doctor.

At a screening of the restored 4K version of ‘Doctor Who: The Movie’, director Ian Sax revealed he was considered to return for the show’s 2005 revival. He’d previously collaborated with executive producer Julie Gardner on the 2001 ITV drama ‘Othello’, which also featured Christopher Eccleston.

I was thrilled when Julie Gardner asked me to get involved. She’d initially brought the project to life, and then she sent me the first two scripts. Honestly, they were amazing – I was hooked right away!

However, despite being impressed by the scripts, Sax said he was unable to take on the episodes.

I wasn’t able to make it, due to a scheduling issue, and I’ve always wished I could have gone – I heard it was excellent.

Sax was almost involved in two attempts to bring back Doctor Who: the 1996 TV movie that connected the original series with the new version, and the successful 2005 relaunch that made Doctor Who a major BBC program again.

Sax also mentioned he’d been asked to come back to Doctor Who more than once after the original TV movie aired.

I later collaborated with Matt Smith on the 2011 BBC TV film, Christopher and His Kind. He then asked if I’d be interested in appearing in a Christmas special, but unfortunately, I wasn’t available.

With a laugh, Sax added: “They’ve never asked me since.”

The TV movie starring Paul McGann is a fascinating part of Doctor Who’s story, as it first showed us the charming Eighth Doctor.

Despite only appearing in one complete televised story, Paul McGann’s Doctor has become a beloved character thanks to a series of audio dramas by Big Finish and his memorable return in the 50th anniversary special, ‘The Night of the Doctor’.

To celebrate its 30th anniversary, the 1996 Doctor Who movie is getting a fresh look! It’s been completely restored using the original 35mm film, making it look better than ever.

The movie will be released in several formats, including a special Limited Edition Steelbook with both 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray versions of the 90-minute film. It will also be available as separate 4K and standard Blu-ray discs.

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You can now watch Doctor Who on BBC iPlayer. For a comprehensive look at the show, check out our story guide, which includes reviews of every episode since 1963, details on the cast and crew, behind-the-scenes facts, and exclusive content from the TopMob archive.

Don’t miss out on Doctor Who! Add it to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download the app today for daily TV recommendations, exclusive features, and more.

Authors

Morgan JefferyDigital Editor

As someone who lives for movies and TV, I’ve always been fascinated by the people behind the scenes who curate what we watch. I currently work as the Digital Editor for TopMob, which means I get to oversee everything we publish online. Before this, I was the TV Editor at Digital Spy, and I’ve even had the chance to share my thoughts on television as an expert on shows like BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 5 Live, and Sky Atlantic. It’s a dream job for a total TV and movie buff like me!

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2026-05-22 12:36