The next season of Doctor Who is coming—and it’s coming at the exact same time across the world, in a move that marks a major shakeup for when and where fans in the show’s home country will be watching the latest adventures in time and space.
Today the BBC confirmed that Doctor Who’s new season, starring Ncuti Gatwa as the 15th Doctor and Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday (and which the BBC is still trying to call “season 1,” which, good luck with that!) will begin broadcasting worldwide on May 10—or, more specifically, midnight UK time on May 11. In a first, the new season will debut with a two-episode premiere.
This marks a significant change for the way Doctor Who is typically broadcast in its home nation. While the series will still continue to air in its traditional broadcast slot on BBC television on Saturday evenings, every episode of Doctor Who will now launch first at midnight on BBC iPlayer to coincide with the simulcast release on Disney+ around the world.
Realigning the series’ release speaks to how important Doctor Who’s global status is coming into the new season, after the BBC’s major deal to broadcast with Disney+ began with last year’s 60th anniversary specials. But it’s going to be interesting to see how fans react to that coming with a move to streaming-first access. Time will tell, as is always the case with Doctor Who, but if you’re really excited, you’re going to have to stay up Friday nights to avoid missing out.
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