Last week, Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa got fans of the iconic series excited with comments that seemed to confirm a third season, but now the BBC is walking all that back. The BBC is doubling down on previous comments that Doctor Who will not be getting a renewal decision for Season 3 until after Season 2 airs — and Season 2 doesn’t even have a release date yet, though a Christmas special is set to air on December 25th with an eight-episode Season 2 anticipated sometime in 2025.
“As we’ve said previously, the decision on season three will be made after season two transmits and as always we don’t comment on speculation,” a BBC spokesperson said (via Deadline). Showrunner Russell T. Davies also has echoed that sentiment.
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The confusion about Season 3’s status stems from comments that Gatwa made during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show. In that appearance, Gatwa revealed that a third season of Doctor Who would be filming in 2025, seemingly confirming the show’s renewal. The comments had been shared with the press ahead of Gatwa’s appearance on The Graham Norton Show but when the episode actually aired, it was edited, removing references to Season 3.
Despite the change to Gatwa’s comments, Doctor Who fans probably don’t need to be too worried about the BBC walking back the “confirmation” of Season 3. Davies himself has expressed that he’s confident the series will be back for a third season while also acknowledging that an official decision won’t come until after Season 2 airs.
As for that Season 2, production has already wrapped, though no details have been shared about what fans can expect. What we do know is that both Gatwa and Ruby Sunday actress Millie Gibson will return while Varada Sethu has been cast as a mysterious second companion. The series also recently announced that Archie Panjabi will appear in Season 2 as a villain, but no details about the character have been revealed. Outside of Season 2, the Christmas special, “Joy to the World”, is set to feature Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan.
The BBC May Have a Reason Not to Confirm Season 3 Just Yet
While wanting to wait for Season 2’s arrival before giving Doctor Who a Season 3 renewal is a reasonable explanation — many shows are not renewed more than one season in advance. However, in this case, it could be a matter of monitoring the performance of the series. Season 1 of Doctor Who marked a big shift for the series, with the show premiering on Disney+ as well as the BBC as Disney has an agreement to co-produce the series. It’s a move that Davies has said was a decision vital to ensure the longevity of Doctor Who.
“I’ve already said in interviews that I think Doctor Who will have to become a co-pro, there’s no way the BBC is going to fund that,” Davies said previously. “You’ve also got to look in the long term at the end of the BBC, which is somehow, surely, undoubtedly on its way in some shape or form. What is Doctor Who going to do then? You have to prepare for that.”
But just because the co-production route helps sustain Doctor Who and arguably allows it to reach a new audience through Disney+, the series still has to perform and be a good investment for Disney It is possible that Disney wants to get. just a little bit more data on how the series is performing before deciding if a third season is something that should go forward.
Season 1 of Doctor Who is now streaming on Disney+.