Will there be a Doctor Who season 16? Latest news and updates

But will they be picked up in a future season of the show, and if so, when? Or is this really the end for the long-running sci-fi show, which has been around, on and off, for 62 years?

Read on for everything you need to know about a potential Doctor Who season 16.

Will there be a Doctor Who season 16?

That's been the big question on every Whovian's mind for a while now – will there be another season of Doctor Who?

The reason it's more of a question this time around, where it hasn't been before, has to do with the co-production/financing/distribution deal the BBC has had with Disney since 2023's 60th anniversary specials.

This means the show's future is not only dependent on a decision from the BBC, as has been the case in the past, but also from Disney.

In September 2024, showrunner Russell T Davies said that a "decision" regarding the show's future will come "after the transmission of season 2", adding that "that's what we're expecting, that's what we've always been heading towards".

At one time, Fifteenth Doctor star Ncuti Gatwa suggested that a 16th season could be filming this year, but that now seems not to be the case.

In fact, Davies suggested ahead of season 15 launching that the show could see a "pause", with young fans growing up and bringing it back in the way he did.

That's not to say he isn't still making plans for future seasons. In fact, he has said he has plans reaching as far as season 18 (otherwise known as season 5), which are ready to go if he is able to bring them to the screen.

Earlier this year, Davies told RadioTimes.com that he and the team were ready with various ideas for the show's future, but confirmed that there were "no meetings, nothing" happening regarding season 16 until after season 15 had finished airing.

He said that there was "literally nothing happening" yet, but that he was "dying to find out" the show's future, adding that he 'hopes' it comes back.

Since that time, rumours regarding the show's potential cancellation have swirled, but a report from The Mirror recently claimed that even if Disney does withdraw its involvement in the series, it will still continue airing on the BBC regardless.

That report suggested a break could be in the offing for the next couple of years, but a source told the publication that fears surrounding budgeting were overblown, as much of the current extra funding from Disney is spent on the technical task of improving the picture quality and visual effects for Disney Plus – something which isn't necessary for iPlayer.

For its part, a statement from the BBC has said: "As we have previously stated, the decision on season 3 will be made after season 2 airs and any other claims are just pure speculation.

"The deal with Disney Plus was for 26 episodes – and we still have an entire spin-off, The War Between the Land and the Sea, to air."

That spin-off, The War Between the Land and the Sea, is expected to arrive on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK, and on Disney Plus internationally, this year.

Based on all of this, it seems fans will have to wait a little while longer to find out whether Doctor Who will return for season 16, and in what form.

When would a potential Doctor Who season 16 be released?

Without having official confirmation regarding the show's future, and whether the Disney deal will be renewed, it's hard to say at this point when a new season would emerge. However, whatever the case, we'd be in for a longer wait than between the two most recent seasons.

Of course, any gap will be bridged by new spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea, but as no future episodes of Doctor Who are believed to currently be in production, we'd imagine fans might have to wait until at least Christmas 2026, or even 2027 to see new instalments.

The Mirror's report previously stated that a break until 2027 seems likely, meaning it seems like it's back to the bad old days for Doctor Who fans, at least for now.

Here's hoping that should the show return in 2027, it is able to get back into a more regular production and release schedule after that.

We will keep this page updated as and when we get any further news.

Who would star in a potential Doctor Who season 16?

As of now, it's hard to say who would be back for future episodes of Doctor Who. We're still waiting to see the outcome of The Reality War, so we don't yet know whether current companion Belinda will be sticking around, nor even whether Ncuti Gatwa will be back as the Doctor.

There has been lots of speculation of late suggesting Gatwa will be leaving the show, and while the BBC has categorically denied reports that he has been "axed" from the role, they have not confirmed whether he will be sticking around, nor whether he may have chosen to depart after two seasons at the helm.

For now, if we assume that Gatwa is sticking around, then we could also see a number of his other supporting castmates popping up in season 16, even if only in recurring appearances. These could include not only Varada Sethu's Belinda, but also Millie Gibson's Ruby, her family, and the UNIT team, including Jemma Redgrave as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart.

There are also a number of running character threads, which are currently calling out for some form of resolution. For instance, Jonathan Groff made a brief appearance as Rogue in Wish World, hinting that he could come back in future, while Carole Ann Ford surely needs a full comeback as Susan following her cameo in The Interstellar Song Contest.

Here are some of the stars we imagine could appear in Doctor Who season 16, depending on the events of The Reality War:

• Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor
• Varada Sethu as Belinda Chandra
• Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday
• Jemma Redgrave as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart
• Ruth Madeley as Shirley Bingham
• Bonnie Langford as Melanie Bush
• Alexander Devrient as Colonel Christopher Ibrahim
• Susan Twist as Susan Triad
• Michelle Greenidge as Carla Sunday
• Angela Wynter as Cherry Sunday
• Jonathan Groff as Rogue
• Carole Ann Ford as Susan

Doctor Who continues on Saturday 31st May at 6:50pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK. The series is available on Disney+ outside of the UK.

Add Doctor Who to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.

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.

Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.