BBC: Doctor Who “Going forward, with or without Disney”, Spin-off Confirmed for 2026

After several months of uncertainty, the BBC has reassured audiences that Doctor Who is here to stay, although they stopped short of confirming a new series.

Speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival, Kate Phillips, Chief Content Officer at the BBC, underlined the broadcaster’s commitment to the Time Lord’s future.

“Any Whovians out there, rest assured – Doctor Who is going nowhere,” she asserted.

Phillips acknowledged the importance of the ongoing collaboration with Disney, which has boosted the show’s global reach.

“Disney has been a great partnership and it continues with The War Between The Land And The Sea next year but, going forward, with or without Disney, Doctor Who will still be on the BBC.”

She sealed her comments with a reassurance that will please fans: “The TARDIS is going nowhere.”

The War Between The Land And The Sea becomes the first spin-off of Russell T Davies’ second era, with the BBC confirming a 2026 debut after earlier speculation of a late-2025 release.

Lindsay Salt, the BBC’s Director of Drama, added that the broadcaster was “committed” to Doctor Who, praising its strong connection with younger viewers. She admitted that “there’s no update at the moment” on the main series, but promised, “we will share as soon as we can”.

We will still have to wait for official confirmation of a new series, but the signs are more encouraging than fans have seen in a while, particularly after the low ratings of Series 15.