Disney+ has confirmed that it will end its partnership with Dr Who, but the show will return for a Christmas special on the BBC in 2026.
Lindsay Salt, Director of Drama, BBC said in a statement: “We’d like to thank Disney+ for being terrific global partners and collaborators over the past two seasons, and for the upcoming The War Between the Land and the Sea.
"The BBC remains fully committed to Doctor Who, which continues to be one of our most loved dramas, and we are delighted that Russell T Davies has agreed to write us another spectacular Christmas special for 2026.
"We can assure fans the Doctor is not going anywhere, and we will be announcing plans for the next series in due course which will ensure the TARDIS remains at the heart of the BBC.”
Many actors have taken on the iconic role of the timelord, with the most recent being Ncuti Gatwa.
Here we break down the list of actors who have come before him. And, for more on the Doctors, find our ranking of who played the time traveller best.
So who has played Doctor Who before?
The first season of Doctor Who was broadcast on the BBC on November 23, 1963 and starred William Hartnell.
A total of 14 people have played Doctor Who – including Gatwa.
In order of appearance, here are all the actors who have played the Time Lord over the decades:
- William Hartnell, 1963 – 1966
- Patrick Troughton, 1966 – 1969
- Jon Pertwee, 1970 – 1974
- Tom Baker, 1974 – 1981
- Peter Davidson, 1981 – 1984
- Colin Baker, 1984 – 1986
- Sylvester McCoy, 1987 – 1989
- Paul McGann, 1996
- Christopher Eccleston, 2005
- David Tennant, 2005 – 2010
- Matt Smith, 2010 – 2013
- Peter Capaldi, 2013 – 2017
- Jodie Whittaker, 2017 – 2022
- David Tennant, three episodes, 2023
- Ncuti Gatwa, 2024 – 2025
There have also been a few extra unofficial Doctors throughout the years.
John Hurt played a version known as The War Doctor in a series of 2013 specials while Jo Martin played a previously unknown version of The Doctor in series 12, who was known as the Fugitive Doctor.
Peter Cushing also played the part in two films released in the 1960s: Dr Who and the Daleks and Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 AD.
