The BBC has confirmed that Disney will not be involved in the production of the next season of Doctor Who, with an announcement also stating that the long-running sci-fi series will return in the 2026 festive season. Showrunner Russell T Davies is confirmed to be involved – but what else do we know?
The last two seasons – which starred Ncuti Gatwa in the central role – of the iconic sci-fi drama have been produced by the BBC in collaboration with Disney, with episodes being available on streaming service Disney+ in the US.
Gatwa has since left the show, with the remaining five episodes of the existing deal set to be completed following the airing of spin-off series The War Between the Land and the Sea, which is due to premiere next year.
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In an interview last month, producer Jane Tranter indicated that Disney was yet to make a decision regarding its involvement in the future of the series, but the BBC has now confirmed it will be in sole control of the show once again.
This new era will begin with a Christmas special in 2026, which will be penned by Davies. Details for the next season are currently unknown, but the BBC said they remain “fully committed to the show” and would announce plans in “due course”.
BBC
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“We’d like to thank Disney+ for being terrific global partners and collaborators over the past two seasons, and for the upcoming The War Between the Land and the Sea,” said Lindsay Salt, Director of Drama for the BBC.
“The BBC remains fully committed to Doctor Who, which continues to be one of our most loved dramas, and we are delighted that Russell T Davies has agreed to write us another spectacular Christmas special for 2026.
James Pardon//BBC
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“We can assure fans, the Doctor is not going anywhere, and we will be announcing plans for the next series in due course which will ensure the TARDIS remains at the heart of the BBC.”
In addition to The War Between the Land and the Sea, the Whoniverse is being expanded with a currently-untitled animated series which is being created especially for children’s network CBeebies.
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Doctor Who airs on BBC One in the UK and Disney+ elsewhere. Classic episodes of Doctor Who are available on BBC iPlayer in the UK.
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Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.