BBC says 'Doctor Who' will remain on air

LONDON, June 1 (UPI) -- The BBC dismissed rumors that the popular British show "Doctor Who" would be axed as "idle speculation."

Filming is scheduled to being for the fourth season of the BBC Wales-produced program next week and BBC executives said they have a long-term commitment to the award-winning program, the Western Mail reported Friday.

Speculation was high that writer Russell T. Davies, who revived "Doctor Who" in 2005, was scrapping the show to concentrate on other projects. Davies and other senior staff working on the series were said to be thinking about handing in their resignations, news reports indicated.

"We are a long way away from even thinking about series five when the current series hasn't ended and we have yet to start filming series four. But the BBC has a long-term commitment to 'Doctor Who'," the program's creators said in a statement.