Doctor Who stays with BBC after Disney deal ends, Christmas 2026

Disney will not continue its partnership with the BBC on Doctor Who after a two-season collaboration, the companies confirmed, but the longrunning series will remain on the BBC and return with a Christmas special in 2026 written by showrunner Russell T. Davies. The BBC said the special will be followed by further plans for a new series to be announced in due course, and that a Doctor Who spinoff and a preschool animation remain in production.

Lindsay Salt, director of drama at the BBC, thanked Disney for its cooperation and said the corporation is “fully committed to Doctor Who, which continues to be one of our most loved dramas.” Salt added, “We can assure fans, the Doctor is not going anywhere,” and said the BBC will announce plans for the next series soon. The Christmas special will be produced by Bad Wolf, the production company associated with Davies.

Disney and the BBC had a two-season deal that also included the spinoff The War Between the Land and the Sea. The BBC said the spinoff, which follows the military organization UNIT and stars Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw among others, will still air on BBC One and on Disney platforms as planned. The corporation also...