It has been announced that the BBC and Disney Branded Television have come together to transform Welsh-filmed Doctor Who into a global franchise for UK audiences and the rest of the world. The announcement was made by the Fifteenth Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, during an appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan in America. A new logo for the programme, which is inspired by the 1973 version, has also been unveiled.
A joint statement from the two stations says: "Under a shared creative vision, the two stations will deliver this quintessentially British show to future generations on an unprecedented scale with Disney+ as the exclusive home for new seasons of Doctor Who outside the UK and Ireland.
"Both partners have aligned under returning showrunner Russell T Davies vision, who takes control of the Tardis in 2023. He was responsible for Doctor Who's revival in 2005 and is credited with propelling the show into one of TV's biggest hits."
Read more: Who is the new Doctor Who and when will Ncuti Gatwa be appearing in the BBC series?
Swansea-born Russell T Davies, who has recently taken over from Chris Chibnall, says: "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."
Cardiff-based Bad Wolf Studios will co-produce the show with the BBC and Bad Wolf - a company formed by Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner, who worked on the BBC science-fiction show in 2005 with Davies. In a joint statement, they said: "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. 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."
Meanwhile, BBC's Chief Content Officer, Charlotte Moore says: "We are thrilled to announce this exciting global partnership with Disney who are the perfect partners to bring this very British show to the rest of the world. Russell T Davies' vision for Doctor Who has always been out of this world and we are committed to ensuring that audiences across the globe get the opportunity to enjoy the Doctor's epic adventures with the scale and ambition that they deserve. Joining forces with Disney will elevate the show to even greater heights and reach new audiences so it's an extremely exciting time for fans in the UK and across the world."
"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," says Alisa Bowen, President, Disney+.
The news comes after Jodie Whittaker departed her role as the Thirteenth Doctor on Sunday, October 23. It was then revealed that Tenth Doctor actor David Tennant would be returning as the Fourteenth Doctor for the 60th anniversary of the show in 2023, in an episode filmed in Cardiff earlier this year. Ncuti Gatwa will then take over the role as the Fifteenth Doctor.
Doctor Who is set to return next year, celebrating 60 years of traveling in time and space. With both Tennant and Catherine Tate reprising their roles for the celebrations, it has been announced that they will appear in three special episodes, set to air in November 2023. Ncuti Gatwa will then take control of the Tardis, with his first episode airing over the festive period in 2023.
Disney+ also has the upcoming series, Willow - a follow up of the 1980s movie - coming out this autumn, which was also made in Wales and stars Warwick Davies reprising his title role.
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