Disney+ Exits Doctor Who Co‑Production

Disney+ has ended its two-season co‑production partnership with the BBC on Doctor Who after producing 26 episodes, with reports blaming high production costs (about $13 million per episode) and weaker-than-expected global viewing. The BBC said it remains fully committed, confirmed a Russell T. Davies–written Christmas special for 2026 and said a new full series will be produced "in due course," while it explores new international distribution and U.S. arrangements remain unclear. Disney-produced spin‑off The War Between the Land and the Sea — starring Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha‑Raw — will still be released and the BBC says the limited series will premiere on BBC One and iPlayer later this year; a CBeebies animated Doctor Who series is also still planned. Fans and critics are divided over whether the end of the Disney partnership will return the show to a scrappier, more British tone or whether recent nostalgia-driven choices, including Billie Piper's surprise regeneration into the Doctor, have hurt the series. Many outlets and commentators suggest Piper is likely to appear as a transitional or short-term Doctor in the 2026 special while the BBC searches for a long-term lead and broader creative direction.