Doctor Who’s Future & Disney Partnership Gets New Update Amid Confusion Over Season 16 Status

A month and a half after the season 15 finale, the BBC has updated fans on Doctor Who’s future and its Disney partnership. Doctor Who’s fate has been a major question mark since before Ncuti Gatwa’s second season ended. After Gatwa’s shocking regeneration, fans have been more eager for answers. Unfortunately, rumors have circulated online that Disney will not continue co-producing the show, and Doctor Who will be canceled.

After an abundance of confusion about the status of Doctor Who season 16, we finally have a small update. The BBC’s CEO, Tom Fussell, has addressed Doctor Who’s future when speaking to Deadline, offering hope that the show will continue with season 16. He said this:

“[The BBC remains] really committed to Doctor Who and is continuing to look at ways in which we can bring the show to fans. Fans love the Doctor Who brand. It’s been that way since before I was in short trousers.”

Whether Doctor Who season 16 will happen is only one part of the question. The other part is whether Disney will continue their co-production deal. He didn’t provide any concrete answers about Doctor Who specifically, but the CEO did provide insight into the BBC’s overall partnership with Disney.

Fussell called Disney a “key partner” when it comes to hit shows like Bluey and Dancing With the Stars, and he also said this:

“They are a crucial partner and we share a lot of the same values, so I’m really proud of the way that relationship has worked.”

Neither statement is definitive confirmation that Doctor Who will continue with Disney, but the statement clarifies the BBC’s current mindset on the matter and offers hope.

The BBC Still Loves Doctor Who

The status of Doctor Who season 16 still remains a mystery, even after Tom Fussell’s comments. However, that doesn’t mean his comments are entirely worthless for fans. His statement about the BBC’s dedication to Doctor Who suggests that they will look for any available path to keep the show going, even if Disney backs out of the co-production deal for some reason.

Additionally, Fussell’s statement about Disney has a meaningful takeaway when it comes to the larger partnership between Disney and the BBC. Even if Disney backs out of the Doctor Who partnership, fans can look forward to other exciting projects created by the two companies. Most notably, they’re working to put out the first-ever feature-length Bluey movie.

Our Take On Doctor Who’s Future After Tom Fussell’s Statements

Doctor Who Might Continue Even Without Disney

Although they were discussed within the same interview, Tom Fussell’s statements about Disney did little to increase my confidence that The Mouse and the BBC would continue co-producing Doctor Who. He seemed to sidestep the issue, bringing more attention to their other projects together.

However, Fussell’s statement about Doctor Who does offer a lot of hope that the original network will find a way to keep seasons going, regardless of Disney’s involvement. They seem dedicated to the franchise.

Ultimately, I’d almost rather Disney back out and Doctor Who move onto a different partner. Even though Disney’s money might have helped increase the production value of Doctor Who seasons 14 and 15, the production company doesn’t have a great history of making good sci-fi shows (excluding superhero shows and Star Wars). There are other streaming sites with a proven sci-fi track record that I think would be a more suitable partner for Doctor Who.