Doctor Who producer reveals the point at which Disney "have to make a decision" on show's future

But we could be waiting a while longer as producer Tranter has confirmed that, once the 26 episodes that Disney initially commissioned have aired (which include the spin-off), "then, and only then, does Disney+ have to make a decision about whether or not they want to do more".

She added to The Royal Television Society: “I imagine, at a time when Disney are having huge cuts themselves, and there have been slashes in programme budgets, they’re looking to take their time to balance everything out and decide what they want to do."

However, she went on to say: “At its heart, it’s a BBC show and it will keep going, one way or another."

While The War Between the Land and the Sea does not yet have a release date, the BBC's Chief of Content, Kate Phillips, recently revealed that it will air sometime in 2026.

It is important to note, though, that while the decision doesn't have to come until after the spin-off, it could still come sooner.

Thankfully, as Tranter pointed out, Doctor Who's future does not depend on Disney's decision.

Recently speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival, Phillips confirmed that the show will return to the BBC "with or without" Disney's involvement.

"Any Whovians out there, rest assured – Doctor Who is going nowhere," she said.

"Disney has been a great partnership and it continues with The War Between The Land And The Sea next year but, going forward, with or without Disney, Doctor Who will still be on the BBC."

Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Dive into our Doctor Who story guide: reviews of every episode since 1963, plus cast & crew listings, production trivia, and exclusive material from the Radio Times archive.

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