‘Doctor Who’ EP Supports ‘Torchwood’ Revival, Despite John Barrowman’s Claims

“Doctor Who” showrunner Steven Moffat is firing back after rumors surfaced that he was to blame for “Torchwood” ending after Season 4. Moffat released a statement on the issue in which he praised the “Who” spinoff, and he even stated that he supports a revival of the alien drama.

“You may be aware that John Barrowman has been saying, publicly, that I’ve been blocking a new series of ‘Torchwood,’” Moffat told Doctor Who News. “To be very clear — I haven’t blocked it; I wouldn’t block it; I wouldn’t even be ABLE to block it. I didn’t even know a revival had been mooted till I read about it on the Internet. As John perfectly well knows, it’s not my show and I could no more prevent it happening that he could cancel ‘Sherlock.’”

The trouble started when Barrowman, who played Captain Jack Harkness on both “Who” and the spinoff, said that an executive producer at “Doctor Who” was to blame to “Torchwood” not being on the air. The show was canceled in 2011 after Season 4, which was a co-production between BBC Worldwide and the US channel Starz. Barrowman discussed the problem with a revival at Honolulu Comic Con earlier this month.

“Without giving too much away, I was on a phone conversation with one of our executive producers telling me the obstacles we’d have to face in order to bring [‘Torchwood’] back … I’m being told that it can’t until it’s got approval with certain people involved with ‘Doctor Who,’” Barrowman explained to the audience. “And I don’t understand why one show has to have the approval of another in order to come back. But that might change when somebody leaves and somebody new and wonderful comes in.”

Moffat is of course stepping down as showrunner after “Doctor Who” Season 10. Chris Chibnall, who wrote several episodes of “Torchwood,” will replace him.

Barrowman, who currently stars on “Arrow,” again hinted at some behind-the-scenes drama in an interview with RadioTimes. “There’s a lot of politics involved, and the people that are close to it, I think would love to see it done, but there’s just certain egos in the path that are just standing in the way,” he said.

Moffat, who has been running “Who” since 2010, didn’t appreciate the implication that he was holding the show back. “I am bewildered, and a little cross, even to be included in this conversation,” he added in his statement. “For the record, I really liked the show (especially the third series) and would be very happy to see more — monsters and mayhem, why not? But the fact is, it has nothing to do with me. Please pass this on to the anxious and the angry — I’ve had enough hate mail now.”

While the future of “Torchwood” remains unclear, it seems safe to say that Captain Jack won’t be returning to the TARDIS when “Doctor Who” Season 10 premieres on BBC America in the spring.