This one wasn't originally included on the list but it just so happened to surface while it was being written so it had to be mentioned for the sake of coincidence. It goes without saying that the latest series of Doctor Who was darker than ever before but, according to the Mirror, it was ultimately too scary for the show's younger audience - and even some of the adult ones, too - and as a result the BBC have been forced to reevaluate the show's 'edgier' mantra for 2015. They're ditching the darker storylines completely in Series 9, actually, after "a ratings slump" led to fans campaigning for Steven Moffat to be sacked as a result of his "baffling" storylines. It's all very dramatic, isn't it? Yes, not everyone is happy about Doctor Who's new direction but the series is by no means in the state of crisis that the British press persists - far from it, in fact. Statistically the show is more popular than ever so this is just another example of tabloid twaddle that's badly written, poorly researched and generally just an unequivocal waste of (time and) space. Next? What do you think of this list? Have there been any other ridiculous Doctor Who rumours that weren't included? Let us know in the comments section below.
Dan Butler is the Doctor Who Editor at WhatCulture.com. When he isn't writing his own articles or editing other people's, he can be found trawling the internet for gifs of Steven Moffat laughing. Contact him via dan.butler@whatculture.co.uk.
