It has been confirmed that Doctor Who will stay on air until “at least 2020″.

The revived series, which marked its 10th anniversary last month, continues to be a ratings hit all around the world, so much so that the BBC have secured its future for the next five years.

“I thought it would last 10 years but it will do a minimum of 15,” showrunner Steven Moffat revealed. “10 years on and our ratings are pretty much the same. It’s extraordinary.”

Ben Stephenson, the BBC’s outgoing head of drama commissioning, added: “As long as the people looking after it are passionate, there’s no reason why it can’t do another 50 years.”

Series 9, scheduled to air on BBC One in the autumn, is currently being filmed. The Doctor reached new levels of international acclaim throughout 2014 with Series 8 becoming the highest rated series to date in the US. Its success has been hailed as “outstanding”.