After months of speculation, it’s now official Disney+ is ending its partnership with the BBC on Doctor Who following two seasons and the upcoming spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea.
The BBC confirmed that the series will continue independently, with a brand-new Christmas special set for 2026, written by showrunner Russell T Davies. Details on future seasons and an animated preschool spin-off will be announced in due course.
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.
BBC Director of Drama Lindsay Salt expressed gratitude toward Disney for their collaboration, stating:
The Disney co-production deal, which spanned two seasons and one spin-off (26 episodes total), was reportedly valued at around £10 million ($13.3 million) per episode. Despite major stars and cinematic storylines, the series’ ratings in the U.K. and performance on Disney+ reportedly fell short of expectations.
Earlier reports suggested the partnership’s future was uncertain, particularly following Ncuti Gatwa’s departure as the 15th Doctor, which left fans questioning the direction of the franchise. In Doctor Who Magazine, Davies hinted at uncertainty regarding the show’s next chapter, writing: “We don’t know what’s happening yet, and while everyone works that out, I’ll take a pause on this page… Hopefully, we’ll have news soon.”
Still, the BBC remains resolute about the franchise’s longevity. Jane Tranter, executive producer and co-founder of Bad Wolf, dismissed suggestions that Doctor Who was “dead,” emphasizing the show’s resilience even before U.S. partnerships.
The 2026 Christmas special will once again be produced by Bad Wolf and BBC Studios, ensuring that the Doctor’s adventures continue firmly under the BBC’s banner.
Source: Deadline
