A BBC executive has shared some positive news about the future of Doctor Who, shortly after it was announced that Disney was ending it’s partnership with the show.
In October 2022, Disney struck a deal with the BBC to become the global home for the show outside the UK and Ireland, but it was eventually announced in January that the partnership was coming to an end.
Sci-fi fans will be relieved to hear Zai Bennett, CEO and Chief Creative Officer of BBC Studios Global Content, confirm that the series will be continuing.
Speaking to Deadline, Bennett said: "We’re a big, important part of Doctor Who and are all motivated to make sure Doctor Who has a long and flourishing life.
"We’ve got the Christmas special coming. After that, it’s time for us all to work on it."
The Time Lord had already ben confirmed to be returning in Christmas 2026, with a special penned by showrunner Russell T Davies.
Lindsay Salt, Director of Drama at the BBC, said in October: "The BBC remains fully committed to Doctor Who, which continues to be one of our most loved dramas, and we are delighted that Russell T Davies has agreed to write us another spectacular Christmas special for 2026.
"We can assure fans, the Doctor is not going anywhere, and we will be announcing plans for the next series in due course which will ensure the TARDIS remains at the heart of the BBC."
Many actors have taken on the iconic role of the timelord, with the most recent being Ncuti Gatwa.
Here we break down the list of actors who have come before him. And, for more on the Doctors, find our ranking of who played the time traveller best.
Who has played Doctor Who before?
The first season of Doctor Who was broadcast on the BBC on November 23, 1963, starring William Hartnell in the titular role.
There have been a total of 14 official Doctors, with a few extra unofficial ones throughout the years.
In order of appearance, here are all the actors who have played the Time Lord over the decades:
- William Hartnell, 1963 – 1966
- Patrick Troughton, 1966 – 1969
- Jon Pertwee, 1970 – 1974
- Tom Baker, 1974 – 1981
- Peter Davidson, 1981 – 1984
- Colin Baker, 1984 – 1986
- Sylvester McCoy, 1987 – 1989
- Paul McGann, 1996
- Christopher Eccleston, 2005
- David Tennant, 2005 – 2010
- Matt Smith, 2010 – 2013
- Peter Capaldi, 2013 – 2017
- Jodie Whittaker, 2017 – 2022
- David Tennant, three episodes, 2023
- Ncuti Gatwa, 2024 – 2025
John Hurt played a version known as The War Doctor in a series of 2013 specials, while Jo Martin played a previously unknown version of The Doctor in series 12, known as the Fugitive Doctor.
Gatwa's final episode ended with the Time Lord regenerating into returning star Billie Piper, who previously played companion Rose Tyler - but it’s yet to be announced if Piper will officially be playing the role.
Peter Cushing also played the part in two films released in the 1960s: Dr Who and the Daleks and Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 AD.
