Last week the BBC made the shock announcement that it was considering a theatrical version of Dr Who, to be staged in London’s O2 Millennium Tent. The aim is to capitalise on one of it’s most lucrative ‘super brands’ and milk it for all its worth. The Beeb has been preparing the public for this for some time. How else can you explain the ubiquitous presence of Captain Jack on all those reality shows devoted to stage, musical and dance?

There is great appeal to the idea of Daleks roaming beneath a proscenium arch, issuing gutteral cries of “Grease Paint! Grease Paint!” before being shot with a sonic screwdriver and plummeting into the orchestra pit. With a bit of luck the BBC won’t stop at a stage version and will advance the brand further. A musical is probably out of the question but I’d happily pay to see those menacing, pepperpot shapes gliding across a rink in Daleks on Ice.

Presumably this project will open the door for a whole range of other productions to leap from the small screen. The field has rich possibilities. Star Trek has already pretty much conquered the media-verse, having appeared as an animated series, several films (with a new one in May), books, on-line games and at least two pop songs. I’m not sure it has gone onto the boards yet. Anyone for The Two Klingons of Verona?

Batman would make a superb Wagnerian opera. It has all the essential ingredients - tragic loss, a tortured hero, grotesque villains, over-the-top costumes, ropes, whips and pointless histrionics. Don’t try and convince me that those Valkerie aren’t precursors for Wonder Woman.

Meanwhile the BBC has other brands it could be developing for the stage.

Eastenders can rival anything from Samuel Beckett for surreal misery. In fact, they already have: Many years ago, two of the characters had a strange episode to themselves which went nowhere and said nothing. One of the wittier newspaper reviewers described as Waiting for Dot.

Judging by the recent advertisements - sorry, programme trailers - Antiques Roadshow is already being turned into a shoot ‘em up computer game, with Fiona Bruce as a replacement for Lara Croft. How long before Huw Thing from the Ten O’Clock News becomes the new Super Mario?

Newsnight makes frequent attempts to escape the confines of serious news presentation, particularly around election time. That’s when Jeremy Vine capers about with computer graphics and turn it into something resembling a bad pantomime.

And finally, Top Gear would work quite well at the seaside. Staged in a small, striped tent, it would make a good replacement for Punch and Judy. It has about the same level of witty banter and sophistication.

But all of this re-branding is missing something which makes all the difference between a TV programme and stage show. Live theatre can be vital, passionate, real and compelling and yet it lacks one tiny element which asserts the superiority of television.

It’s called the off switch.