‘Doctor Who’ showrunner Russell T. Davies is keen to take the show in a musical direction – despite previously turning down an offer from ABBA stars Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson.
Recent instalments of the sci-fi show have had increasing musical elements, from the Toymaker’s epic Spice Up Your Life routine in ‘The Giggle’, to the original Goblin Song in Christmas special ‘The Church On Ruby Road’ and ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ star Jinkx Monsoon’s turn as Maestro in ‘The Devil’s Chord’.
There’s yet to be a full-on musical episode of the TV show, but it’s on the cards – along with a stage show based on the franchise, which was previously pitched by the Swedish pop legends, who made a surprise appearance during this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
“I would love to do a full-on West End musical, let’s do that, come on,” Davies tells Games Radar. “Many years ago actually, Benny and Björn from ABBA came along and said they wanted to do a ‘Torchwood’ musical. And I must have been the biggest idiot in the world, I was just too busy at the time, and I just turned that idea down.
“I turned the meeting down, that never happened. How stupid was I? ABBA wanted to do a Torchwood musical! Honestly, if I could have a TARDIS and travel back in time I would go clout myself on the head over that decision. What was I thinking?!”
However, amid the BBC’s partnership with Disney on the new season of ‘Doctor Who’, starring Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson, he says the musical realm is something they’re now working towards.
“I think it fits ‘Doctor Who’. I mean, ‘Doctor Who’ has so much joy and I think actually my writing has always been heading towards bursting into song,” Davies adds. “No one who knows me isn’t going to be surprised that this has finally happened in something that I’ve written – I’ve tried it before but never quite got it.”
Revealing he has previously attempted to write musical episodes for other shows he’s worked on and admitting it’s often tricky, he continues: “It’s not easy writing a musical, people don’t just burst into song, you have to earn it, you have to place it, you have to time it, you have to feel it. And I’ve tried before on other shows, not just ‘Doctor Who’.
“I’ve literally tried it many, many times and never quite earned it – but finally, I think we are beginning to crack it now so I hope there’s more, that’s all I can say. We’re not planning a full-on musical episode but one day, definitely!”
