Back in 2022, Disney announced a partnership with the BBC to bring the long-running, iconic British sci-fi series, **Doctor Who**, to Disney+ around the world, while the show remained with the BBC in the UK. This collaboration began with three specials featuring David Tennant returning as the Doctor to celebrate the show’s 60th anniversary. Following that, Ncuti Gatwa took over the iconic role, leading to two Christmas specials and two full seasons, plus an upcoming spin-off series, **The War Between the Land and the Sea**, set to arrive on both Disney+ and the BBC later this year.
Unfortunately, the new era of **Doctor Who** struggled to connect with audiences. Viewership declined notably in the United Kingdom, and the show failed to make a significant impact on Disney+ globally. It did not even appear on the Nielsen streaming chart in the US, indicating low viewership numbers. Rumors soon surfaced about the future of the show with Disney, fueled by ongoing negative publicity surrounding storylines, actors, characters, and political controversies.
Shortly after the Season Two finale was released earlier this summer, it was confirmed that Ncuti Gatwa had quit the series, leading to yet another regeneration of the Doctor. Today, the BBC confirmed that Disney will no longer partner with them for the next season of **Doctor Who**. However, fans can rest assured that the show will return to our screens with a special Christmas 2026 episode written by Russell T Davies, the showrunner responsible for its popular revival.
The BBC also reaffirmed its full commitment to **Doctor Who** and promised to announce plans for the next series in due course, ensuring that the Doctor’s adventures continue. Additionally, a brand-new animated series is currently in development for CBeebies, aimed at younger audiences.
### Statement from the BBC
Lindsay Salt, Director of Drama at the BBC, commented on the end of the Disney partnership:
> “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.”
At this time, it remains unclear whether the two seasons, along with the Christmas and 60th anniversary specials, will stay on Disney+ and for how long. Given that **Doctor Who** is owned by the BBC, it is likely that these episodes may eventually be removed from Disney+.
### Roger’s Take
After much speculation, it’s reassuring that the BBC has finally clarified the future of **Doctor Who**. Given that the show is one of the BBC’s biggest assets, it was always expected that it would continue. Unfortunately, the series never appeared to be a top priority for Disney. Aside from a launch party and a photoshoot at Disneyland, Disney’s promotion of the show felt minimal, likely because they did not have full ownership of the franchise.
The partnership was initiated under former Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s tenure, who aimed to quickly expand content for Disney+. After his departure, it seemed unlikely that Bob Iger would invest significantly in a property they couldn’t fully leverage on a global scale.
Additionally, the show became something of a PR headache for Disney due to some plotlines that sparked political backlashes over creative choices. This controversy likely didn’t help negotiations surrounding renewal. I also doubt Disney will put much effort into promoting the upcoming spin-off series beyond fulfilling their contractual obligations.
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https://whatsondisneyplus.com/disney-ends-doctor-who-partnership-with-the-bbc/
