Lancashire-born Jed Mercurio is reportedly leading a bid to produce Doctor Who, as rival proposals include moving the long-running BBC series to Scotland.
The Line of Duty and Bodyguard creator is attached as an executive producer to a proposal submitted by Hat Trick Mercurio (HTM), the company he runs with Hat Trick founder Jimmy Mulville, according to Deadline.
The BBC has launched a competitive tender for the series, with producers putting forward their visions for its next chapter.
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Mercurio was born in Nelson, Lancashire. His producing partner Mulville also has North West roots, having been born in Liverpool.
Although best known for his crime and political thrillers, Mercurio has previously worked in science fiction, creating BBC series Invasion: Earth in the 1990s.
HTM is among several production companies understood to be competing for the contract. Deadline reports that World Productions, which produces Line of Duty, has submitted a separate bid, effectively leading ITV Studios’ efforts to secure the show.
STV Studios, the group behind Blue Lights and Criminal Record, has reportedly teamed up with Screen Scotland on a proposal to move production north of the border for season 17.
The BBC has stipulated that Doctor Who must be produced outside London. Wales has been the programme’s production home for many years.
STV also has an existing connection to the franchise through former Doctor Peter Capaldi, who stars in Criminal Record. The Apple TV series is produced by his wife Elaine Collins, who runs STV-backed Tod Productions.
Two BBC Studios labels are also expected to have submitted bids, according to Deadline. The group’s production businesses include Clerkenwell Films, House Productions and Lookout Point.
BBC Studios scripted boss Jamie Hall told Deadline last week that “there is an opportunity to get back to what the core offering was” during the Matt Smith and David Tennant era.
The submission deadline passed on October 2, with the BBC now considering the competing proposals. Interviews with bidders are scheduled for January, ahead of a contract award in March.
The broadcaster is seeking a version of Doctor Who that can return to screens in 2028-29 and remain “relevant, surprising, brave and inspiring for both long-standing fans and new audiences.”
Producers have also been invited to propose “third-party investment”, although Deadline reports that some wanted greater clarity on the BBC’s funding expectations.
Among the companies reportedly sitting out the process is Manchester-based Quay Street Productions, whose recent work includes Harlan Coben’s North West-shot Netflix thriller Run Away.
