The death bell for Classic Doctor Who began to ring in 1984 when a British broadcast executive, Michael Grade, became the Controller of BBC One. In 1985, he put the show on an 18-month hiatus, blaming low ratings, overly violent content, and absurd storylines as the cause. It was also noted that viewers were not connecting with Colin Baker's sixth incarnation of The Doctor. Many described his Doctor as abrasive, adding fuel to the flame as the BBC executives had already been discussing canceling the show.

Sydney Newman, along with Verity Lambert, wrote a letter in 1986 to Michael Grade, where he shared his thoughts on how to restore Doctor Who back to its former glory: "Something has to change. Colin Baker's second season is largely socially valueless, escapist schlock. At a later stage, Doctor Who should be metamorphosed into a woman. This requires some considerable thought—mainly because I want to avoid a flashy Hollywood 'Wonder Woman' because this kind of hero(ine) has no flaw—and a character with no flaws is a bore."

This was not the first time it was suggested the role of The Doctor could someday be played by a woman. When Tom Baker, who played the fourth incarnation of The Doctor, was asked about who his predecessor would be, he teased to the press the fifth incarnation of The Doctor may be played by someone who was female. Fun fact: the fifth incarnation of The Doctor was supposed to be played by a woman!