Doctor Who To Return With Christmas Special in 2026 as BBC Moves Forward Without Disney+
The BBC has confirmed that Doctor Who will return with a special Christmas episode in 2026. The episode will be written by Russell T Davies, the show’s long-time showrunner, who has already promised fans a spectacular continuation of the Doctor’s adventures.
Alongside the announcement of the 2026 Christmas episode, the BBC has also confirmed that it will no longer be partnering with Disney+ for the series' future seasons. While the two companies had worked together for the last two seasons of Doctor Who, including the upcoming spin-off series The War Between the Land and the Sea, the BBC will now fully oversee the series' development.
Lindsay Salt, Director of Drama at the BBC, expressed gratitude toward Disney+ for their collaboration and reassured fans about the show’s future. "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,’" Salt said. "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."
While a confirmed timeline for the next season is still up in the air, fans have plenty to look forward to before the Christmas special. The spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea, starring Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, will premiere on Disney+ and BBC One later this year. A new animated Doctor Who series for CBeebies is also in the works, expanding the Whoniverse even further.
The return of Doctor Who raises many questions about the show’s direction, especially with the recent regeneration of the Doctor in the season finale. Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor made way for Billie Piper, who portrayed Rose Tyler, the Doctor's companion at the end of the last season. While Piper has confirmed her return to the series, she’s keeping fans guessing about whether she will take on the mantle as the 16th Doctor. In her statement, she teased, “It’s no secret how much I love this show, and I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse as I have some of my best memories there, so to be given the opportunity to step back on that Tardis one more time was just something I couldn’t refuse, but who, how, why and when, you’ll just have to wait and see.”
