'Doctor Who' gets a 2026 Christmas lifeline as BBC ends Disney+ partnership

Highlights:

• A new Doctor Who Christmas special is confirmed for 2026, written by Russell T Davies.
• The BBC’s global partnership with Disney+ has ended after two seasons.
• The BBC says it’s “fully committed” and will announce full series plans later.
• Spin-off ‘The War Between the Land and the Sea’ and a CBeebies animation are still on the way.

Looks like the Doctor will be making another Christmas stop. The BBC says Doctor Who will return in 2026 with a festive special, a quiet way of telling fans the TARDIS isn’t going anywhere, even as its deal with Disney+ ends.

The announcement ends months of speculation about the sci-fi institution, which hasn't been on screen since Ncuti Gatwa’s final episode in May, which ended with the surprise appearance of Billie Piper. The special will be written by showrunner Russell T Davies, but the big news is the end of the Disney+ deal, which had handled the show’s distribution outside the UK since 2022.

BBC announces Christmas 2026 episode while Disney+ partnership ends Instagram/disneydoctorwho

What does the Disney+ split mean for Doctor Who?

It’s a significant shift. The Disney+ deal was meant to give Doctor Who a bigger global budget and profile. Now that’s gone. The BBC was quick to thank Disney+ for being “terrific global partners,” but the statement makes it clear the collaboration stops after the upcoming spin-off, The War Between the Land and the Sea.

The immediate question is who, if anyone, will step in as a new international partner. The BBC didn't announce one. For now, the corporation is footing the bill and producing the show through Bad Wolf, the production company it now owns. It’s a return to a more traditional model, but with the pressure on to prove the show can still compete globally on its own terms.

Is Doctor Who really safe at the BBC?

Officially, there’s no doubt. Lindsay Salt, the BBC’s Director of Drama, stated, “the Doctor is not going anywhere.” She called the show “one of our most loved dramas” and promised plans for a full new series will be announced “in due course.”

Locking in that 2026 date makes things clear. The BBC is still in the driver’s seat, keeping the show alive through the changes. What comes after that? Still up in the air.

So, what can fans watch before 2026?

There’s still a fair bit in the pipeline. Before then, fans have more to look forward to. The UNIT spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea will air later this year on BBC One and iPlayer. A new Doctor Who cartoon for CBeebies is also moving ahead, made for the next wave of young fans.

For now, the next stop is set: Christmas 2026. A Christmas special is coming. The BBC is back in full control. But the long-term journey through time and space just got a lot more interesting. The next series plan, and the identity of the next Doctor, remain the biggest questions in the galaxy.