Disney Bows Out of Doctor Who Deal With BBC After Disastrous Ratings Run During Davies/Gatwa Era

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Disney and the BBC are no longer working together on the show Doctor Who. Last year, Disney+ signed a deal to be the exclusive streaming home for new episodes of the long-running series outside of the U.K. and Ireland, starting with the show’s 60th anniversary and the debut of the new Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa. That agreement covered 26 episodes, but has now been ended.

For sixty years, Doctor Who has overcome challenges like being cancelled, revamped, and even its characters changing – but the show’s recent loss of Disney as a distributor might be its biggest threat yet.

Trouble in the Tardis

Disney’s partnership with Doctor Who involved more than just streaming the show internationally – they also helped fund the latest season (which was labeled as Season 1 for the show’s relaunch). However, the initial ratings were much lower than expected, and even the show’s creator, Russell T. Davies, admitted it wasn’t performing strongly.

By July 2024, rumors were circulating that Disney wouldn’t renew its agreement with the show. As new episodes of Doctor Who were released, Ncuti Gatwa faced criticism for making political comments, and the series hit a 60-year low in viewership. A year later, Gatwa decided to leave the role, stating that at 32, he was feeling physically exhausted and ready to move on.

Disney+ was still working to catch up to other streaming services in terms of subscribers, and it was likely evaluating whether the investment in Doctor Who was paying off. Reports in April 2024 showed Disney’s streaming division had lost $11 billion. Given these financial difficulties, continuing to support the underperforming Doctor Who might have seemed like an added strain.

Where Does Doctor Who Go from Here?

Lindsay Salt, who heads drama at the BBC, expressed gratitude to Disney+ for their excellent partnership and collaboration over the last two seasons.

Despite leaving, Ncuti Gatwa’s time as the Doctor isn’t over yet. Russell T. Davies will be back to write a special Christmas episode in 2026, continuing a tradition for the show. She also confirmed that the Doctor will continue, and the BBC will share details about the next series soon, ensuring the TARDIS remains a key part of the channel.

Now that Disney+ isn’t contributing financially, it will be interesting to see how the show’s budget affects the next season of Doctor Who. However, many fans are even more curious about how the show will handle Ncuti Gatwa’s departure as the Doctor and his next regeneration. The last episode ended with a surprising twist – he regenerated into a form connected to Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), a companion from a previous Doctor’s era. This departure from established tradition sparked controversy, with some viewers calling it a publicity stunt.

Even a new Doctor, however, may not be enough to revive the iconic series.

Conclusion

Most online discussion suggests people are ready to see the franchise end, whether Disney continues to back it or not.

Good riddance, let Doctor Who finally die.

No more regenerations.

— MasteroftheTDS (@MasteroftheTDS) October 28, 2025

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2025-10-28 21:57