BBC Confirms Doctor Who Revival with 2026 Special and New Series
In a surprise move, the BBC has announced that it will be reviving the long-running sci-fi series Doctor Who for a 2026 Christmas special and new series. The news comes as the international streaming partnership between Doctor Who and Disney+ is set to come to an end.
While details about the new series are scarce, showrunner Russell T Davies has penned the script for the 2026 Christmas special. However, speculation surrounding Davies' future role on the show remains. There is no confirmation whether he will continue as showrunner or if the BBC plans to change its production partnerships with Bad Wolf in Cardiff.
Doctor Who's recent series, The Reality War, ended with the departing 15th Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, briefly regenerating into Billie Piper. This has sparked speculation about who will play the next Doctor and whether it will be a female-led series.
The show has faced criticism for its declining ratings, with some episodes pulling in fewer than 2 million viewers live on BBC One. The Disney deal, which saw the show become available on the streaming platform, failed to propel it to global success.
Davies once stated that a reported £10m per episode budget was "exaggerated", highlighting one of the issues facing Doctor Who. The show faces competition from other popular sci-fi series and struggles to appeal to both families and younger viewers.
Behind-the-scenes drama has also plagued the Gatwa era, with production difficulties reportedly leading to reshoots of the season finale. There have been rumors about Ncuti Gatwa's departure necessitating script changes and controversy surrounding his co-stars.
As Disney+ ends its association with Doctor Who, the BBC will be working on a new spin-off series, The War Between the Land and the Sea, starring Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. This marks the end of the show's partnership with Disney.
The BBC has also announced plans for an animated version of Doctor Who aimed at preschool audiences, set to air on CBeebies independently from the main series.
With its new 2026 special and series, Doctor Who is poised to continue its legacy as a beloved British institution. However, the future of the show remains uncertain, with questions surrounding Davies' role and production partnerships hanging in the balance.
In a surprise move, the BBC has announced that it will be reviving the long-running sci-fi series Doctor Who for a 2026 Christmas special and new series. The news comes as the international streaming partnership between Doctor Who and Disney+ is set to come to an end.
While details about the new series are scarce, showrunner Russell T Davies has penned the script for the 2026 Christmas special. However, speculation surrounding Davies' future role on the show remains. There is no confirmation whether he will continue as showrunner or if the BBC plans to change its production partnerships with Bad Wolf in Cardiff.
Doctor Who's recent series, The Reality War, ended with the departing 15th Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, briefly regenerating into Billie Piper. This has sparked speculation about who will play the next Doctor and whether it will be a female-led series.
The show has faced criticism for its declining ratings, with some episodes pulling in fewer than 2 million viewers live on BBC One. The Disney deal, which saw the show become available on the streaming platform, failed to propel it to global success.
Davies once stated that a reported £10m per episode budget was "exaggerated", highlighting one of the issues facing Doctor Who. The show faces competition from other popular sci-fi series and struggles to appeal to both families and younger viewers.
Behind-the-scenes drama has also plagued the Gatwa era, with production difficulties reportedly leading to reshoots of the season finale. There have been rumors about Ncuti Gatwa's departure necessitating script changes and controversy surrounding his co-stars.
As Disney+ ends its association with Doctor Who, the BBC will be working on a new spin-off series, The War Between the Land and the Sea, starring Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. This marks the end of the show's partnership with Disney.
The BBC has also announced plans for an animated version of Doctor Who aimed at preschool audiences, set to air on CBeebies independently from the main series.
With its new 2026 special and series, Doctor Who is poised to continue its legacy as a beloved British institution. However, the future of the show remains uncertain, with questions surrounding Davies' role and production partnerships hanging in the balance.
I think it's awesome that Doctor Who is getting a revival! The 2026 Christmas special and new series are going to be epic 
. But, at the same time, I'm kinda worried about the future of the show 
. With all these changes and controversies, I hope they can find some middle ground 
. Maybe we'll get a female-led series? 
or maybe the budget will get sorted out 
. Whatever happens, I know Doctor Who fans are going to be hyped 
. Can't wait for more Whovian goodness! 
. The fact that Russell T Davies is back on board for the 2026 special is a big plus. He knows the show inside out, so fingers crossed he can get it back on track. I think the decision to end the Disney deal was a good one - they just couldn't compete with other streaming services. Now we need to see how the BBC plans to reboot the show without alienating its older fans while trying to attract new viewers. And what's up with Ncuti Gatwa's departure? Hopefully, whoever gets the next Doctor job will be able to bring some fresh energy to the role.
I mean, who wouldn't want to see more of our favorite Time Lord and his companions on screen? But let's get down to business - with Davies at the helm again, I'm hoping they'll shake things up a bit. The show has been feeling a bit stagnant lately, what with the lackluster ratings and all that drama behind-the-scenes.
But I do worry about the show's future stability. With production partnerships changing left and right, it's hard to keep track of what's really going on. And let's not forget that whole script change debacle with Ncuti Gatwa... talk about a messy exit! 
so like doctor who has been around for ages right? 
it's crazy to think they're reviving it again 
2026 can't come soon enough 
i'm so down for a new series and special 
but what about ncuti gatwa's departure tho? 
will billie piper be back as the doctor too? 
btw, have you seen that animated version for preschoolers? 
it sounds adorable 
. Plus, have you seen the ratings for the recent season? Not exactly blockbuster numbers 
. Maybe they should focus on making some quality content instead of just churning out new stuff 
.
! i've been waiting like forever for russell t davies to come back on board as showrunner, he's literally the only one who can bring this show back from the dead 
. and idk about ncuti gatwa leaving, but billie pierer was always meant to be the next doc who 
also, i'm so over the competition from other sci-fi shows, let's be real doc who is where it's at 
they gotta fix those ratings or else nobody will even care about the next doc 
i heard his departure was messy so hopefully this time it'll be smoother 
I've been waiting for this moment for ages! 
Anyway, can we pls get some clarity on the new series tho? Russell T Davies is back and that's all i need to know 
. Who's gonna be the next Doctor?! Is it Billie Piper again?! Let's make this happen BBC! 
And what about the spin-off series, The War Between the Land and the Sea? I'm all for exploring more of the Whoniverse 
.
. Who wouldn't want to see Baby Doc Who rocking around with his friends? 
! I mean, it's been too long since we've had some quality sci-fi on our screens. The 2026 special is gonna be lit 
. And what's up with Ncuti Gatwa's departure? I hope they figure out who'll be the next Doctor soon 
with russell t davies at the helm again. maybe he'll make some changes to shake things up and get more people watching 
and honestly, who wouldn't want a female-led series? 
i just hope they don't skimp on the budget anymore, £10m per ep is crazy expensive 
.
i hope russell t davies isn't leaving his job it seems like the show needs him more than ever 
anyway, 2026 special better bring the tea... or not 
️. Still, can't wait to see what they've got planned for 2026! 
. ncuti gatwa or billie piper or whoever comes next gotta bring their A game, cant have another season of doc who struggling with ratings 
The animated version for preschoolers sounds adorable too, can't wait to see it on CBeebies 
. As for the budget, £10m per episode does seem a bit steep