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

The beloved sci-fi series is finally returning to our screens for its latest run.

Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor in Doctor Who episode The Story and the Engine. He's dressed in a stripey shirt and is holding the Vindicator tool.

BBC Studios/Bad Wolf/Dan Fearon

Published: Saturday, 10 May 2025 at 9:32 am

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Doctor Who season 15 is in full swing on the BBC, and episode 5 of the new sci-series is landing on our screens tonight – while it is now available to stream on iPlayer as we speak.

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The brand new episode, titled The Story and the Engine, sees the Doctor going up against a dangerous new threat: "The Spider and its deadly web of revenge."

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?

Varada Sethu as Belinda Chandra and Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor in Doctor Who, stood outside the TARDIS

Varada Sethu as Belinda Chandra and Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor in Doctor Who. BBC Studios/Bad Wolf/Dan Fearon

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.

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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?

Varada Sethu as Belinda Chandra and Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor in Doctor Who in a hospital

Varada Sethu as Belinda Chandra and Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor in Doctor Who. BBC Studios/James Pardon

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:

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:

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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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.

Authors

Black and white cut-out portrait headshot of Patrick Cremona, smiling against a lime green background.

Patrick CremonaSenior Film Writer

Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.

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