Sooo... I was told wrong then. That sort of sucks.

I thought that the fact that the BBC's shows Sherlock and Doctor Who have been so popular (and ongoing) that new episodes would take longer... but apparently that's not true... But this is Moffat denying it. So, I have my doubts. Either way, makes me feel slightly less stressed.

Sherlock’s success means less Doctor Who in 2012

Writer Steven Moffat’s commitments to BBC One drama Sherlock will mean fewer Doctor Who episodes in 2012, the channel’s controller has said.

Speaking at a media conference in Derbyshire, Danny Cohen explained the consequences of a new Sherlock series.

“He [Moffat] needs enough time to get that done and then start work on the next series of Doctor Who”, the BBC One boss said.

So there will be [Doctor Who] episodes, but not as many.”

Doctor Who is one of the BBC’s flagship shows. The series typically runs for 13 episodes every year.

Last week the BBC announced that they were filming 14 new Doctor Who episodes, including a Christmas special, to be broadcast from next year.

But Mr Cohen said that not all of the commissioned stories would be transmitted in 2012.

“There will be some episodes, but there won’t be a full series, so we won’t have a 13-part run,” he told the audience at The Church and Media Conference.

Mr Moffat is one of BBC One’s key writers, who oversees all Doctor Who episodes.

He is also one of Sherlock’s executive producers, and is currently writing one of the show’s three new episodes.

“There’s only so many hours a day he can be awake,” Mr Cohen said, referring to Mr Moffat’s workload.

“The man has to sleep and eat, and he’s got a family.”

Both programmes attract high viewing figures and between them received five nominations at May’s TV Bafta’s, with Sherlock winning two prizes.

“Steven Moffat is the creative driving force behind Doctor Who. He also, rather magically at the same time, created and got to air Sherlock. So we have to get that balance right,” Mr Cohen said.

“There’ll be more episodes again in 2013, for the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who. So that’s a big year.”

The remaining six episodes of the current series will air on BBC One later this year.

Unfortunate that there won’t be as much Doctor Who to keep us Whovians on our leashes. On the other hand, the BBC’s channel controller shouldn’t have said it was because of Sherlock’s success– Steven Moffat tweets in reply:

The scheduling of Dr Who has got NOTHING to with Sherlock. On the plus side THE BBC SPELLED MY NAME RIGHT!!!!

Major crisis averted– Sherlock fans and Doctor Who fans won’t be tearing out each others’ throats over airing space on BBC One. As far as the BBC goes, they should really make sure they know what they’re talking about before they start throwing statements out there.

BUT THEY SPELLED HIS NAME RIGHT.

So as David Tennant once said,  I shall then edit it and apply it to this: 

"Danny Cohen!" *shakes fist* "Grrrr!"    Damn it. Making me worry for nothing!