On 28 October 2025, it was finally confirmed that Doctor Who would return for a 2026 Christmas special after months of uncertainty surrounding the show’s future.
Film News Blitz writer Jonathon House takes a look at what could be in store.
This announcement followed the dramatic season two finale, ‘The Reality War’, in which Ncuti Gatwa’s 15th Doctor shockingly regenerated into Billie Piper.
For many fans, this twist came completely out of nowhere.
Piper, best known for playing Rose Tyler, companion to both Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor and David Tennant’s 10th, returning in this way has raised more questions than answers.
Is she playing the Doctor? Is this a return of the Bad Wolf entity? Or is this something else entirely?
At this stage, almost nothing is known about the 2026 Christmas special beyond the fact that Russell T Davies is writing it.
Could the Daleks finally return?
One of the biggest talking points among fans is whether the Daleks will make a comeback.
Surprisingly, during Davies’ second era, the Daleks have been completely absent, something that stands in huge contrast to his original run, which featured some of the most iconic Dalek stories in modern Doctor Who, including ‘The Parting of the Ways’, ‘Doomsday’, and ‘Journey’s End’.
There’s also a feeling among fans that Gatwa’s Doctor never truly reached his peak.
Despite a strong start, he never faced one of the show’s most defining enemies, which has left his era feeling slightly unfinished.
The Bi-Generation question
Another unresolved thread is the return of Tennant’s 14th Doctor.
In ‘The Giggle’, the Doctor bi-generated, splitting into both the 14th and 15th Doctors, meaning two versions of the Doctor exist at the same time.
With Piper now entering the picture, speculation has only increased that Tennant could return.
However, as of now, there is still no official confirmation.
What happens after the Disney deal?
With the Disney partnership now over, the future of Doctor Who is more uncertain than it has been since the 2005 revival.
Will the show move to another streaming platform, such as Netflix or HBO Max, or return fully to the BBC?
For the first time in years, we don’t even know who the Doctor is going forward.
That level of uncertainty is unusual for a show that typically plans regenerations and casting well in advance.
There’s also the question of whether the 2026 Christmas special could mark the end of Davies’ second era. If so, who takes over next?
Who should take over as ‘Doctor Who’ showrunner?
One possible successor is Pete McTighe, who co-ran the spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea alongside Davies and has written several episodes of the main show, including ‘Kerblam!’, ‘Praxeus’, and ‘Lucky Day’.
That said, there’s also a strong argument that Doctor Who needs something completely new, a fresh creative voice with new ideas, rather than continuing to rely on past elements.
Has nostalgia gone too far?
For some fans, the biggest criticism of Davies’ recent era is its reliance on nostalgia.
The return of classic villains like Sutekh may appeal to long-time viewers, but many newer fans, who grew up with the modern series, have little connection to these characters.
As a result, these moments don’t always land with the impact they’re intended to have.
A smaller future?
Looking ahead, the most likely outcome seems to be a scaled-back version of Doctor Who.
The show will probably remain with the BBC, but with fewer episodes and a reduced budget compared to the Disney-backed era, unless a desirable new streaming partner can be found.
Whether that ultimately helps or harms the show will depend entirely on the creative direction it takes next.
One thing is clear: going into 2026, Doctor Who is entering one of the most uncertain and potentially defining periods in its history.
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