US fans will be able to watch the next season of Doctor Who on Disney+ thanks to a new deal with the BBC.
The two giants of entertainment – the BBC and Disney – have come together to “transform Doctor Who into a global franchise for UK audiences and the rest of the world”, it was confirmed in an announcement on October 25.
Doctor Who on Disney+
Doctor Who is going to be available to an international audience as Dinsey and BBC – the original home of the show – made a deal that the streaming site will be the home of upcoming seasons of the show for fans outside the UK and Ireland.
Charlotte Moore, BBC’s Chief Content Officer commented: ‘We are thrilled to announce this exciting global partnership with Disney who are the perfect partners to bring this very British show to the rest of the world.
‘Russell T Davies’ vision for Doctor Who has always been out of this world and we are committed to ensuring that audiences across the globe get the opportunity to enjoy the Doctor’s epic adventures with the scale and ambition that they deserve.
‘Joining forces with Disney will elevate the show to even greater heights and reach new audiences so it’s an extremely exciting time for fans in the UK and across the world.’
Under a shared creative vision, the companies hope to deliver this quintessentially British show to future generations on an unprecedented scale.
The announcement – which was made by the next Doctor Who, Ncuti Gatwa, during an appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan – explained new episodes will premiere on the BBC and Disney+ beginning in late 2023 for fans all over the world.
Unified under Russell T Davies
Both partners have aligned under returning showrunner Russell T Davies’ bold vision, who takes control of the TARDIS in 2023.
Alisa Bowen, President of Disney+, said: ‘We’re excited by the opportunity to bring new seasons of this beloved franchise exclusively to Disney+ and introduce the show to the next generation of audiences in more than 150 markets around the world.’
Davies was responsible for Doctor Who’s revival in 2005 and is credited with propelling the show into one of TV’s biggest hits.
‘I love this show, and this is the best of both worlds – with the vision and joy of the BBC and Disney+ together we can launch the TARDIS all around the planet, reaching a new generation of fans while keeping our traditional home firmly on the BBC in the UK,’ he said.