Disney+ Exits the DOCTOR WHO Universe After Two Seasons, but the BBC Promises The Doctor Isn’t Going Anywhere
After months of speculation, Disney+ is is officially stepping away from Doctor Who. The streaming giant’s partnership with the BBC, which helped relaunch the legendary sci-fi series for a new generation, will end after two seasons and the upcoming spin-off, The War Between The Land and the Sea.
The BBC confirmed that Doctor Who will keep flying the TARDIS flag solo, with a new Christmas special set for 2026, written by returning showrunner Russell T. Davies. The network also teased more announcements to come, including details on the next full season and a new Doctor Who animation for preschoolers.
BBC drama director Lindsay Salt praised Disney’s contribution, saying: “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.”
Salt reaffirmed the BBC’s dedication to the series, adding: “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.”
The Disney deal, originally set for two seasons and one spin-off, covered 26 episodes in total. It reportedly helped boost the show’s budget to around £10 million (roughly $13.3 million) per episode, one of the largest in Doctor Who history. With that funding, Davies brought new energy, crazy storytelling, and some big-name guest stars to the table.
But despite the hype, viewership didn’t quite soar to intergalactic levels. While the series made a strong creative comeback, ratings in the UK were softer than expected, and its performance on Disney+ overseas didn’t generate the numbers the streamer likely hoped for.
More than a year ago, insiders hinted that the future of the Disney-BBC partnership was uncertain. That uncertainty grew as Season 15 wrapped and Ncuti Gatwa, the 15th Doctor, exited the show under a cloud of speculation, later citing burnout as his reason for leaving. The regeneration appeared to hand things back to a familiar face in Billie Piper’s Rose Tyler, stirring plenty of fan debate.
In Doctor Who Magazine, Davies himself addressed the uncertain road ahead, 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.”
While the future may have been murky for a while, the BBC always planned for The Doctor to live on, with or without Disney’s backing. Recently, Jane Tranter, executive producer and head of Bad Wolf Productions, which currently oversees the series, dismissed claims that Doctor Who was “dead as we’ve ever known it,” calling out a former writer for their negativity.
Tranter’s Bad Wolf studio will continue producing the Doctor Who Christmas special, while BBC Studios will handle international distribution.
So while Disney+ might be leaving the TARDIS behind, The Doctor’s adventures are far from over. The BBC is once again steering the ship, and with Russell T. Davies still at the helm, fans can expect the universe’s favorite Time Lord to keep running.
Source: Deadline