10 Notorious Doctor Who Urban Legends
6. The Show Was Nearly Cancelled After David Tennant Left
Remember how we said that David Tennant almost stayed on for Series 5? Well, the only reason he didn't was because he chose to leave instead, a decision that nearly had disastrous ramifications for the entire show.
A lot of fans talk about the 1989 cancellation like it's the only time Doctor Who has been in danger, but this is false. You may have heard whispers about the show having a brush with death back in 2009/2010, when Tennant's time in the TARDIS was coming to an end - and these whispers are entirely accurate.
The Tenth Doctor era sent the popularity of the show skyrocketing, leading many fans to believe that it would fall apart without him. As it turns out, some of those fears were felt within the BBC itself, and the organisation even considered ending the show altogether when its leading man elected to depart.
But thanks to the intervention of outgoing showrunner Russell T Davies - who demanded that Doctor Who should continue on - a global crisis was averted, and the show is still alive and well today. Cheers RTD!