Disney+ has landed the streaming rights for the BBC series, Doctor Who, in a landmark deal. The news was revealed on Tuesday by the upcoming Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, during an appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan. Under the new deal, Disney+ will exclusively stream all upcoming seasons of the show outside of the U.K. and Ireland, where they will remain with the BBC. Russell T. Davies, who returns as showrunner for the forthcoming season, expressed excitement over the new deal.
“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.”
Davies
Regarding the new deal, Alisa Bowen, the president of Disney+, called it a great opportunity to bring the beloved series to a new generation. “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,” she said. “The series is a perfect addition to our ever-growing catalog of global content that continues to make Disney+ the home for exceptional storytelling.”
Doctor Who first launched in 1963 and ran until 1989. The classic series was revived in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston taking on the role of the ninth Doctor with Russell T Davies on board as showrunner. The revival launched a new generation of Doctor Who fans and brought with it the first female Doctor thanks to Jodie Whittaker‘s thirteenth Doctor.
The first episodes of Doctor Who to air under the new partnership are expected to debut in November 2023, which will coincide with the show’s 60th anniversary. Gatwa will take on the role of the Doctor next, following the short return of David Tennant as the Doctor for three specials.
Source: THR.
