“We want to thank Disney+ for the fantastic collaboration over the past two seasons and for the upcoming spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea,” said Lindsay Salt, head of drama at the BBC. “The BBC remains fully committed to Doctor Who (2024), one of our most beloved drama series. We are thrilled that Russell T. Davies is writing yet another spectacular Christmas special for 2026. Fans can rest assured: the Doctor is not going anywhere. We will soon announce plans for the next season, ensuring the TARDIS remains the beating heart of the BBC.”
The streaming deal between Disney+ and the BBC was announced in October 2022 and covered two seasons of the series, with Ncuti Gatwa as the 15th Doctor, plus the spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea.
Gatwa left the role at the end of the most recent season, which concluded in May. Disney+ retains the rights to continue streaming those two seasons and associated specials in the countries where it offers the series.
There had been rumors for some time that Disney would withdraw from the partnership. The original agreement included only two seasons and a spin-off, and the company remained silent about the franchise's future.
Although no official viewership numbers have been released, Doctor Who (2024) on Disney+ did not reach the popularity levels of the Star Wars or Marvel series and never appeared in the Nielsen Top 10 of most-watched original streaming titles.
Gatwa's last appearance ended with a surprising regeneration of the Doctor into the form of Rose Tyler (played by Billie Piper), a former companion of the ninth and tenth Doctors (Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant).
However, the BBC has not yet confirmed whether Piper will actually play the next Doctor. If she does, she would be the second woman to portray the iconic role, following Jodie Whittaker, who played the 13th Doctor between 2018 and 2022.
