CBeebies to launch animated Time Lord series targeting pre-schoolers while main show’s future hangs in the balance
The BBC has stunned Doctor Who fans by announcing plans for a pre-school animation series on CBeebies – just days after Ncuti Gatwa’s shock departure from the flagship show left viewers questioning its future.
In an unexpected twist worthy of the Time Lord himself, the BBC is looking for a passionate production company to create and produce the series, which will run independently from the main show, bringing the Doctor’s adventures to the under-fives for the first time in the show’s 60-year history.
The announcement comes amid ongoing uncertainty about the main series, with Gatwa exiting the Tardis after just two seasons in Saturday’s explosive season finale “The Reality War” – making him the second shortest-serving Doctor after Christopher Eccleston.
TODDLER TIME LORD
The series will consist of 52 x 11-minute episodes, split across two transmission years: 26 in 2027/28, 26 in 2028/29, according to official BBC documents.
Patricia Hidalgo, Director of Children’s and Education, declared: “Everyone is welcome at CBeebies, including the Doctor! This much-loved franchise entertains millions around the world, so it is only right that our younger audience get to experience the wonder and the magic of the Doctor in a brand new format.”
The animated series will see the Doctor travelling through time and space solving mysteries and problems alongside companions and friends – though presumably without the existential dread and universe-ending threats that usually accompany the TARDIS.
GATWA’S SHOCK EXIT
The CBeebies announcement comes as fans are still reeling from Gatwa’s sudden departure after just two seasons as the Fifteenth Doctor. In the climax of Saturday’s Finale of “Doctor Who” Series 15, Gatwa’s Doctor regenerates into Billie Piper, who previously played companion Rose Tyler.
“You know when you get cast, at some point you are going to have to hand back that sonic screwdriver and it is all going to come to an end, but nothing quite prepares you for it”, Gatwa said in an emotional farewell statement.
The Scottish-Rwandan actor made history as the first openly queer Black actor to take on the role, but his tenure was marked by controversy and ratings data shows that series 15’s opening episode experienced an 800,000-viewer crater over Gatwa’s first season debut last year.
BILLIE’S MYSTERIOUS RETURN
In a jaw-dropping twist, the end credits of the finale included a note teasing, “Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor. Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor. And introducing Billie Piper.”
Piper, 42, who shot to fame as the Doctor’s companion Rose Tyler in 2005, has remained coy about her return. “It’s no secret how much I love this show, and I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse”, she said in a statement.
However, it is not yet confirmed whether Piper will be the 16th Doctor, though fans may see this as a distinction without a difference depending how the show portrays it.
BAD WOLF BOWS OUT
The CBeebies series marks a significant shift for the franchise, with the project commissioned on a work-for-hire basis. All rights will remain with the BBC – a departure from the current arrangement with production company Bad Wolf.
Bad Wolf, who have produced hits including Industry and I Hate Suzie, oversaw Gatwa’s two seasons alongside Disney+ in a lucrative co-production deal. However, discussions about whether that partnership will continue remain under discussion and “are likely to take some time,” according to the BBC.
WHONIVERSE EXPANSION
Despite the main show’s uncertain future, the BBC is pressing ahead with expanding the “Whoniverse. Alongside the CBeebies announcement, The War Between the Land and the Sea, a five-part series starring Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, is expected to air in 2025.
The series will see UNIT attempting to prevent a global war caused by the return of the Sea Devils, the aquatic reptilian villains first seen in 1972.
PRODUCTION TIMELINE
For eager parents hoping to plonk their tots in front of Time Lord adventures, there’s a wait ahead. Pre-production is set to begin January 2026, meaning the earliest episodes won’t hit screens until 2027.
The BBC is currently inviting UK production companies to pitch for the project, with the successful bidder tasked with creating a show that can introduce the youngest viewers to the wonders of time and space travel – minus the nightmares.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR WHO?
With “no decision made on commissioning the next season until the current season ends its broadcast” and “For a new series to be ready for 2026, production would need to get under way relatively soon”, the immediate future of the main Doctor Who series remains murky.
Russell T Davies, who returned as showrunner in 2023 after originally reviving the show in 2005, paid tribute to Gatwa: “What a Doctor! Thank you, Ncuti! As his final words say, this has been an absolute joy”.
FANS REACT
The announcement of a pre-school Doctor Who has divided opinion among die-hard Whovians, with many questioning whether toddlers need their own TARDIS while the main show’s future hangs in the balance.
One fan tweeted: “So we’re getting Doctor Who for babies but don’t know if we’re getting a proper Series 16? Make it make sense!”
Another added: “My 3-year-old is thrilled but I just want to know what’s happening with Billie Piper!”
THE BOTTOM LINE
As the TARDIS materialises on CBeebies, the Doctor Who franchise finds itself at a crossroads. While pre-schoolers prepare for their first adventures in time and space, adult fans are left wondering whether the main show will regenerate successfully or face its own final curtain.
One thing’s certain – in typical Doctor Who fashion, nothing is quite what it seems, and the biggest surprises may be yet to come.
The CBeebies series is expected to begin production in 2026, with episodes airing from 2027. The future of the main Doctor Who series remains unconfirmed.
Image credit:
Ncuti Gatwa (cropped) – screenshot from the official Doctor Who YouTube channel, extracted as part of a promotional clip released under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Image originally uploaded 31 May 2024; licensed CC BY 3.0
