Doctor Who: BBC Admits Funding Talks for Show’s Future Beyond 2026 Haven’t Even Begun Yet

BBC Director of Drama Lindsay Salt has revealed that, beyond Doctor Who’s Christmas 2026 outing, there is still no clear plan in place for how the show will be funded in the years ahead.

Salt told Deadline, “There are different ways of setting up a show. We just need to make sure we do it in the right way and make sure we take the right time to do it. Ultimately it’s one of the BBC’s most treasured brands, so it’s not going anywhere.”

One of the biggest questions now hanging over the series is how it can continue with a significantly reduced budget.

Salt reflected on stepping into the role during a turbulent co production market. “I managed to walk into this job when the co-pro market imploded and I’ve learned a lot about the tenacity of producers and writers to make things at all budget levels,” she said. “Things are getting funded in so many different ways now.”

That confidence in creative resilience may be well placed, but it also underlines the reality that Doctor Who could be entering a leaner phase, at least in the short term.

Deadline also notes that Salt did not rule out pursuing another American co production deal. One possible partner is HBO Max, which is preparing to launch in the UK and already works with the BBC on other projects.

“We’ll wait and see how we figure it out. HBO have been great partners creatively. There’s a lot of stuff that is changing out there.”

For now, that suggests the door remains open to a new international arrangement. Until formal talks begin, however, Doctor Who’s post Disney future remains frustratingly vague…