The Beeb is channeling Doogie Howser with its latest family-friendly commission. BBC Children’s and Education has ordered a pair of 50-minute comedy specials based on Dexter Procter: The 10-Year-Old Doctor, a 2024 tween novel written by British author, screenwriter and former doctor Adam Kay (Kay’s Anatomy). 

The first live-action special will drop later this year on BBC One, CBBC and iPlayer, with the second presumably following in 2026.

With creator Kay also on board to write the scripts, Dexter Procter tags along with a 10-year-old boy (Cian Eagle-Service) who happens to be the world’s youngest doctor. The specials will see him trying to solve medical mysteries as a pediatrician, while also dealing with a jealous colleague who’s clearly not a fan of the idea of a child doctor.

Kay is also executive producing the project through his Terrible Productions banner, along with his spouse James Kay. Rounding out the EP team are Amy Buscombe on behalf of the BBC, and Phil Clarke and Roberto Troni from Various Artists.

Medical shows have a long history of thriving on TV, but the premise of Dexter Procter specifically echoes the popular ’90s sitcom Doogie Howser, M.D.—which starred Neil Patrick Harris as a 16-year-old physician. Nearly three decades later, Disney rebooted the ABC series with Doogie Kameāloha, M.D., about a 16-year-old Hawaiian girl navigating a medical career. This revival was canceled in 2023 after a two-season run.

Kay’s concept ages down the young doctor protagonist even further, possibly setting up the specials to maximize co-viewing potential.