Surprising almost no-one, the BBC confirmed today that their collaboration with Disney+ on Doctor Who is formally coming to an end.
It had long been speculated that the lack of firm confirmation of further runs on the streaming platform probably indicated the show’s future there was in question, especially in an era where many streamers are reassessing their priorities, budgets and identity… though it is also true that there are usually plenty of factors affecting decisions and the timing of their announcements. After two seasons of the show, starring Ncuti Gatwa in the title role and which received a mixed reception from fans, it was rumoured that it did not garner the ratings that Disney might have hoped for. However, the BBC has said that it is continuing to be fully committed to the show, though it’s not clear if another platform or collaborator will also step forward in the near future.
What we now know is that the plan is for the main show to return for a Christmas special in 2026 to be broadcast at the very least on the BBC in the UK and to penned by showrunner Russell T Davies. It will be produced by Bad Wolf with BBC Studios for the BBC. It is currently intended that a new series will debut after that.
Disney WILL show the already filmed Who spin-off, called The War Between the Land and the Sea, which does not feature the Time Lord themself but details a UNIT-led operation trying to prevent the titular conflict between the aquatic Sea Devils and humanity. The five-part mini-series is confirmed to be shown before the end of the year, though it is not clear the exact date or release format.
The partnership with Disney had its pros and cons. It led to a boost in the show’s budget, increasing the number of special-effects and introducing the largest Tardis interior set since the series was revived in 2005. It also helped raise the show’s global profile beyond cult status, giving it a firm and wider audience who could legally tune-in and watch it in far-flung places, rather than relying on the pirating and delayed debuts of past years. The Disney/BBC deal meant that Doctor Who was shown on the BBC in the UK but was also available on the BBC iPlayer earlier in the day in the UK and Disney+ in international territories. This led to consternation from some quarters that international audiences sometimes got to watch it ahead of traditional viewers on the main BBC.
Some supposed die-hard fans seemed to take every opportunity to celebrate the show’s ‘downturn’, going beyond individual critiques and bemoaning all aspects they didn’t agree with – consistently saying the show’s heyday was over, pointing to the diminished ratings and swearing they would cease to watch (yet always did so). It is also true that the way audiences are calculated and the wider choice of tv programming also played an obvious role in those viewing figures. However, it was also undeniable that the latest incarnation had a marmite quality to it with some genuine fair and valid criticisms of pacing and tone and the apparently late decision for Gatwa to depart the role (perhaps driven by the uncertainty over its renewal?) appears to have led to reshoots for the finale of the most recent season – changes that likely didn’t fully coalesce with the original plans for the Season Two climax and its repercussions. Many felt the season didn’t hang together well with only eight high-concept episodes and original companion Carole Ann Ford, who would have more clearly reprised her role as Susan, confirmed recently that she filmed scenes that were not used once those changes were made. Yet, for all the quibbles and complaints, the show remained high-profile and certainly retained a big fanbase when compared to other shows.
“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. 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. 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,” said Lindsay Salt, Director of Drama, BBC in a statement.
The BBC are also working on a much younger-skewing addition to the Whoniverse, an animated series for CBeebies which is still in the very early stages of development…
