Allons-Y! Doctor Who Finally Confirms Return Date And Current Status Of Disney+ Partnership

It's been an up-and-down year for Doctor Who, which, on the heels of its most exciting season finale in years, suddenly had an uncertain future. Many were bummed to see Ncuti Gatwa exit, but the thought of Billie Piper returning to the franchise was exciting. Fans were ready to see her in action, but they just didn't know when it would happen.

Now, after a long wait that even kept showrunner Russell T. Davies in the dark, we have some concrete answers. So, here's what we know about Doctor Who's future, and what the situation is when it comes to its relationship with Disney+.

Doctor Who Will Return In 2026

To start with the good news, Doctor Who will return with a new episode in 2026. The BBC confirmed Russell T. Davies is writing a Christmas special for the series, which will presumably feature Billie Piper's iteration of the Doctor (assuming that's who she's playing) in action for the first time. The network also announced that plans for the franchise's future are in the works and will be announced in due time.

The BBC Confirmed Disney+ Has Exited Its Co-Production

The BBC and Disney+ were in talks for a while about their joint partnership as co-producers of Doctor Who, and it appears the door is closed on that. Director of Drama for The BBC, Lindsay Salt, confirmed the partnership would end in her statement about the state of the franchise:

Unfortunately, there were no details about what this means for the 60th anniversary specials and two seasons of Doctor Who that are currently available in the United States with a Disney+ subscription. It's possible they'll remain on the platform unless the rights are purchased to transfer them elsewhere.

The move is bittersweet, as while we now don't have to worry about Doctor Who being held up any longer by conversations happening behind closed doors, that big budget the series had with Disney could take a hit. It's possible that budget could return with another major co-producer in the fold, though it's also possible that other potential partners are moving with caution after Disney's exit.

The common rumor behind all this drama was that Disney+ wasn't impressed with Doctor Who's viewership numbers and felt the show underperformed on streaming. This could have led to Disney+ changing its stance on a guaranteed renewal of a third season, and the delay that will now end on Christmas in 2026.

While it hasn't been confirmed, it's also rumored that Ncuti Gatwa's exit was tied to Disney+ balking at a season renewal. The show went into reshoots to film his regeneration scenes in early 2025, which then paved the way for the unexpected entrance by Billie Piper.

Now, we still don't know what's ahead for Doctor Who's story, but at least we have a return date! So, be ready for Doctor Who's return in December of 2026, and catch the spinoff The War Between the Land and the Sea on Disney+ sometime between that. At least we'll have some content to enjoy during that long wait, though at this point, I'm conditioned to long waits between seasons of this franchise.