Disney+ Suddenly Halts Production of TV Series, Months Before Confirmed Premiere Date

Just months before its highly anticipated spinoff special was set to premiere, Disney+ has abruptly ended its production partnership with the BBC on the long-running television series Doctor Who.

Disney+ Ends Its Partnership With BBC

The BBC confirmed the news on Tuesday, revealing that Disney+ has officially ended its global partnership, which began in 2022. The collaboration originally made Disney+ the international streaming home of Doctor Who. However, according to the BBC, the decision to end the partnership came directly from Disney’s side.

Disney and the BBC first joined forces two years ago, co-producing two seasons of the iconic sci-fi show featuring Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor. The partnership helped expand Doctor Who’s reach to international audiences and positioned it as one of Disney+’s most unique global titles.

With Gatwa’s tenure as the Doctor reportedly ending in May and no replacement announced, rumors swirled that the collaboration between the two media giants might be in jeopardy. Those rumors were confirmed this week when the BBC released an official statement regarding Disney’s departure.

BBC Confirms Production Disruption

“We’d like to thank Disney+ for being terrific global partners and collaborators over the past two seasons, and for the upcoming The War Between the Land and the Sea,” said Lindsay Salt, director of drama at the BBC. “The BBC remains fully committed to Doctor Who, which continues to be one of our most loved dramas, and we are delighted that Russell T Davies has agreed to write us another spectacular Christmas special for 2026. We can assure fans, the Doctor is not going anywhere, and we will be announcing plans for the next series in due course, which will ensure the TARDIS remains at the heart of the BBC.”

According to the BBC’s statement, the Doctor Who spinoff, The War Between the Land and the Sea, will be released on Disney+ as scheduled in 2026. It will also be available for viewers in the U.K. and Ireland on the BBC and BBC iPlayer. Disney’s sudden withdrawal means that future episodes will not be released through the streaming platform.

What’s Next for Doctor Who

While Disney+ has officially stepped away, the BBC reassured fans that Doctor Who’s future is secure. The 2026 Christmas special will continue production in partnership with BBC Studios, and work on the show’s next season is expected to resume under the broadcaster’s full creative control.

The two co-produced seasons and all existing specials will remain available to stream on Disney+, but new episodes after The War Between the Land and the Sea will not be released on the platform. Instead, they will air exclusively on BBC channels and stream on BBC iPlayer for audiences in the U.K. and Ireland.

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