Whovians rejoice! The BBC will always be the home of the popular sci-fi hit Doctor Who, but Disney has just announced that the company will be working together with the BBC to be the new global home of Doctor Who outside of the UK and Ireland. The streaming juggernaut will be hosting upcoming seasons of the legacy show.
In a new press release, Disney states,
“Today the BBC and Disney Branded Television – two giants of entertainment – have come together to transform Doctor Who into a global franchise for UK audiences and the rest of the world.
Under a shared creative vision, they will deliver this quintessentially British show to future generations on an unprecedented scale with Disney+ as the exclusive home for new seasons of Doctor Who outside the UK and Ireland. The announcement – which was made this morning by the next Doctor Who, Ncuti Gatwa, during an appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan – begins a new collaboration between BBC and Disney Branded Television.
Both partners have aligned under returning showrunner Russell T. Davies’ bold vision, who takes control of the TARDIS in 2023. He was responsible for Doctor Who’s revival in 2005 and is credited with propelling the show into one of TV’s biggest hits.
The show will be produced in Wales by Bad Wolf with BBC Studios Production.”
The showrunner, Russell T. Davies has commented, “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.”
And Alissa Bowen, the President of Disney+ adds, “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. The series is a perfect addition to our ever-growing catalog of global content that continues to make Disney+ the home for exceptional storytelling.”
The new episodes will premiere on the BBC and Disney+ beginning in late 2023 for fans all over the world.
What do you think? Are you excited?