It’s official: Doctor Who will be heading to the Disney+ streaming service starting with new episodes premiering in 2023 (unless you live in the UK or Ireland, where it’s already available on the BBC).
“I love this show, and this is the best of both worlds – with the vision and joy of the BBC and Disney+ together we can launch the TARDIS all around the planet, reaching a new generation of fans while keeping our traditional home firmly on the BBC in the UK,” showrunner Russell T. Davies said via a statement.
The news was announced by the new Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, during a television appearance on the morning on the ABC Television talk show Live with Kelly and Ryan. New episodes will stream on Disney+ beginning with the upcoming 60th anniversary special, which will premiere in November, 2023.
Older episodes, however, won’t be making the leap. earlier seasons will remain where they are on HBO Max.
That said, along with the news comes a new logo for the series, which will roll out globally:
Russel T. Davies returns as Doctor Who showrunner, and he brings with him a surprise: Ncuti Gatwa will not be the 14th Doctor, but the 15th.
The 14th Doctor, in a move nobody saw coming, is David Tennant. This condition will presumably last only through three specials to be run through the upcoming holidays starting in November. Ncuti Gatway’s debut as the Fifteenth Doctor won’t happen until 2023, possibly on New Years Day.
“For Doctor Who to have the backing of two of the most innovative and respected media organizations in the world is a testament to the unique drive and vision at the heart of this show,” Jane Tranter & Julie Gardner, Executive Producers and Co-founders, Bad Wolf, said, presumably simultaneously. “Bad Wolf are beyond delighted to be once again working with the genius that is Russell T. Davies and, with the exciting new partnership between the BBC and Disney, we can together reach to even greater heights, producing from Wolf Studios Wales ambitious stories through time and space for audiences across the globe.”
Added Alisa Bowen, President, Disney+, “We’re excited by the opportunity to bring new seasons of this beloved franchise exclusively to Disney+ and introduce the show to the next generation of audiences in more than 150 markets around the world. The series is a perfect addition to our ever-growing catalog of global content that continues to make Disney+ the home for exceptional storytelling.”
There’ll be a bit of a wait after Gatwa’s debut before we see more episodes, though. New episodes of Doctor Who on BBC and Disney+ won’t be available until late in 2023.
-30-
SCIFI.radio is listener supported sci-fi geek culture radio, and operates almost exclusively via the generous contributions of our fans via our Patreon campaign. If you like, you can also use our tip jar and send us a little something to help support the many fine creatives that make this station possible.
