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BBC vows 'Doctor Who' will stay on air despite Disney uncertainty

Showrunner Russell T Davies previously admitted that the future beyond the spin-off was uncertain

Doctor Who BBC future

Ratings for Season 15 dropped to an average of 3.2M viewers

YouTube/ Disney Plus
Gayathri Kallukaran
By Gayathri KallukaranAug 21, 2025
Gayathri Kallukaran
Gayathri Kallukaran is a Junior Journalist with Eastern Eye. She has a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from St. Paul’s College, Bengaluru, and brings over five years of experience in content creation, including two years in digital journalism. She covers stories across culture, lifestyle, travel, health, and technology, with a creative yet fact-driven approach to reporting. Known for her sensitivity towards human interest narratives, Gayathri’s storytelling often aims to inform, inspire, and empower. Her journey began as a layout designer and reporter for her college’s daily newsletter, where she also contributed short films and editorial features. Since then, she has worked with platforms like FWD Media, Pepper Content, and Petrons.com, where several of her interviews and features have gained spotlight recognition. Fluent in English, Malayalam, Tamil, and Hindi, she writes in English and Malayalam, continuing to explore inclusive, people-focused storytelling in the digital space.
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Highlights:

  • BBC confirms its commitment to Doctor Who regardless of Disney’s future involvement.
  • Kate Phillips, the BBC’s new chief content officer, reassured fans at the Edinburgh TV Festival.
  • Ratings for Season 15 dropped to an average of 3.2M viewers, down from last year’s figures.
  • Ncuti Gatwa has exited the role, regenerating into Billie Piper’s Rose Tyler.
  • Spin-off The War Between The Land And The Sea is next in production.

BBC reassures fans over Doctor Who’s future

The BBC has confirmed that Doctor Who will remain on the broadcaster “with or without Disney”, following speculation about the sci-fi series’ future.

Kate Phillips, the BBC’s chief content officer, told delegates at the Edinburgh TV Festival:

“Rest assured, Doctor Who is going nowhere. 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 … The Tardis is going nowhere.”

Lindsay Salt, the BBC’s director of scripted, echoed the commitment, adding that the show still performs well with younger audiences.

Ratings concern for Season 15

Despite the BBC’s reassurance, official viewing figures paint a challenging picture. According to BARB seven-day consolidated ratings analysed by Deadline, Season 15 averaged 3.2M viewers across eight episodes — around 500,000 fewer than last year.

Comparisons with Jodie Whittaker’s final series highlight the decline: her 2021 run averaged 4.9M viewers, 1.7M higher than Gatwa’s most recent outing.

While broadcasters prefer 28-day data for a fuller picture, seven-day figures usually reflect the overall trend, suggesting viewership has weakened significantly.

What’s next for the Whoniverse

Season 15 concluded on a cliffhanger as Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor regenerated into Billie Piper’s Rose Tyler.

Produced by Bad Wolf, spin-off series The War Between The Land And The Sea is the next project in the Whoniverse and will continue under the BBC–Disney partnership for now.

Showrunner Russell T Davies previously admitted that the future beyond the spin-off was uncertain, but the BBC has now made clear the franchise is not going anywhere.

bbcdisneyedinburgh tv festivaldoctor who

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