Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Disney Ends 'Doctor Who' Co-Production as BBC Sets 2026 Christmas Special

Trade reporting cites low streaming rankings alongside sharply higher costs as the key reasons for the split.

Overview

  • Analyses following the breakup report that two Ncuti Gatwa seasons did not place on Nielsen or Luminate streaming charts and trailed the ratings of Jodie Whittaker’s final run.
  • Deadline’s account, echoed in subsequent coverage, says per‑episode costs rose to roughly $8.5–9.2 million under Disney compared with about $2.5–3 million in earlier BBC‑only eras.
  • The BBC says it remains committed to the franchise and has commissioned a Russell T Davies‑written Christmas special for 2026 after a yearlong pause.
  • Spin‑off The War Between the Land and the Sea, produced before the split, is expected to air in 2026 on Disney+, BBC One and iPlayer.
  • Unnamed sources quoted in trade coverage also allege concerns over talent engagement and cultural backlash, but those claims are unverified.