What time are new episodes of Doctor Who released? Release schedule

The Story and the Engine has been penned by Inua Ellams, a Nigerian poet and playwright best known for creating the critically-acclaimed Barber Shop Chronicles – and, fittingly enough, this episode sees Ncuti Gatwa's Time Lord meet a threatening figure named the Barber.

The synopsis for the new episode reads: "In Lagos, the mysterious Barber reigns supreme. The Doctor discovers a world where stories have power, but can he stop the Spider and its deadly web of revenge?"

Alongside his new companion, the Time Lord is joined by a wave of new guest stars in his second season in the TARDIS, with this episode including the likes of Ariyon Bakare (Mr Loverman) as the Barber and Michelle Asante (The Suspect) as Abena.

With the broadcast schedule for Doctor Who having changed in recent years, you might be struggling to keep track of when new episodes of the show are releasing on TV and BBC iPlayer.

Wondering when The Story and the Engine is set to air on BBC One and at what time? Keep reading to find out everything you need to know, including this season's full release schedule.

When is Doctor Who season 15 episode 5, The Story and the Engine, out?

The fifth episode of the season arrives on Saturday 10th May – and will be available to stream on BBC iPlayer from 8am in the morning before airing on BBC One at 7:10pm the same evening.

Beginning with episode 1, which aired on 12th April, new episodes are scheduled to arrive weekly on iPlayer at 8am on Saturday mornings before being broadcast later that evening on BBC One.

This represents a slight change from last year's pattern, when episodes arrived on BBC iPlayer at midnight – so this time around fans won't have to stay up late on Friday evenings to see the episodes as soon as possible.

How many episodes are there in Doctor Who season 15?

There will be eight episodes in total in Doctor Who season 15, with the titles, writers and directors already having been announced for each.

You can find a full list here:

1. The Robot Revolution - Writer: Russell T Davies. Director: Peter Hoar.
2. Lux - Writer: Russell T Davies. Director: Amanda Brotchie.
3. The Well - Writer: Russell T Davies & Sharma Angel Walfall. Director: Amanda Brotchie.
4. Lucky Day - Writer: Pete McTighe. Director: Peter Hoar.
5. The Story and the Engine - Writer: Inua Ellams. Director: Makalla McPherson.
6. The Interstellar Song Contest - Writers: Juno Dawson. Director: Ben A. Williams.
7. Wish World - Writer: Russell T Davies. Director: Alex Sanjiv Pillai.
8. The Reality War - Writer: Russell T Davies. Director: Alex Sanjiv Pillai.

Doctor Who episode 15 release schedule: When are new episodes out?

With the season now well under way, you can find a full schedule for when all eight instalments will arrive – complete with the episode titles – below:

• Episode 1 – The Robot Revolution – Saturday 12th April 2025 (out now)
• Episode 2 – Lux – Saturday 19th April 2025 (out now)
• Episode 3 – The Well – Saturday 26th April 2025 (out now)
• Episode 4 – Lucky Day – Saturday 3rd May 2025 (out now)
• Episode 5 – The Story and the Engine – Saturday 10th May 2025 (out now)
• Episode 6 – The Interstellar Song Contest –Saturday 17th May 2025
• Episode 7 – Wish World – Saturday 24th May 2025
• Episode 8 – The Reality War – Saturday 31st May 2025

What time are Doctor Who season 15 episodes out on BBC iPlayer?

As mentioned above, new episodes will arrive on BBC iPlayer at 8am on Saturday mornings throughout the season – as opposed to last year's launch at midnight.

Once again the episodes will debut simultaneously on Disney+ in other territories – if you live overseas you can find the exact times below:

• 8am, BST (British Summer Time) – BBC iPlayer
• 12am, PT (Pacific Time) – Disney+
• 3am, ET (Eastern Time) – Disney+

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