Doctor Whois back and bigger than ever following the recently released 60th anniversary specials. After a long hiatus and fans left wondering how Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor regenerated into David Tennant’s, those questions were answered over a series of three specials which culminated in the debut of the newest Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa. Gatwa is now set to take over the franchise and into a bright future with the series 14th season.
The 14th season ofDoctor Whopromises to be a good one as, along with Ncuti Gatwa, it also brings on Russell T. Davies. Davies is a prolific writer who successfully relaunchedDoctor Whoonce before. Fans are excited to see what is in store for the famous Time Lord, and here is everything that we know about the upcoming season ofDoctor Who.
Update July 27, 2025: This article has been updated following the debut of Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor in theDoctor Who60th Anniversary Special ahead of the newest Christmas special.
Doctor Who Season 14: Release Date
Series 14 ofDoctor Whowill begin with the Christmas Special “The Church on Ruby Road”. This episode will air on July 28, 2025, and will lead into the upcoming. Although there’s still no definite release date for the 14th season,it’s expected to come out in Spring 2024. Series 14 will consist of 8 episodes and will be followed by a Christmas Special in 2024. The episodes will all be streamed on Disney+.
Although we might still have to wait some more to get to see what the 14th season ofDoctor Whowill bring, Disney+ has brought fans three specials to make the wait more bearable; between November 25 and December 9, the franchise released three episodes to commemorate the 60th anniversary ofDoctor Who, featuring the return of David Tennant and Catherine Tate.The specials brought some new elements to this already fascinating worldand raised the expectations for the new season even more.
Doctor Who Season 14: The Plot
Season 14 will haveNcuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor, something that has fans beyond excited, especially since the specials has opened so many doors regarding the Doctor’s regenerations into his past selves. The bi-generation will probably be a major plot-line for what happens after theDoctor Who60th Anniversary specials.
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While not much is currently known about the season, Russell T. Davies’s return as showrunner indicates some big things for the future of the franchise. Davies relaunchedDoctor Whoback in 2005 and departed in 2010. His return to the franchise and the feature of the bi-generation in the 2023 specials implies that this new series is a fresh jumping on point for viewers.
After being on the air for 18 years, the new era ofDoctor Whohad so much continuity it might have been difficult for new fans to get into it. With the rest of the series being available to stream on Max while this new era is on Disney+, that also implies the past series will be less important for viewers to understand these new adventures. Davies himself has said the series will be marked as “Series One”.
Doctor Who: Season 14: The Cast
Ncuti Gatwa has been confirmed for the role of the Fifteenth Doctor, of course. He is extremely excited to be the next Doctor. So much so that he released a statement back when he was first announced for the role in May 2022, stating:
“There aren’t quite the words to describe how I’m feeling. A mix of deeply honoured, beyond excited and of course a little bit scared. This role and show means so much to so many around the world, including myself, and each one of my incredibly talented predecessors has handled that unique responsibility and privilege with the utmost care. I will endeavour my upmost to do the same.
Russell T Davies is almost as iconic as the Doctor himself and being able to work with him is a dream come true. His writing is dynamic, exciting, incredibly intelligent and fizzing with danger. An actor’s metaphorical playground. The entire team have been so welcoming and truly give their hearts to the show. And so as much as it’s daunting, I’m aware I’m joining a really supportive family. Unlike the Doctor, I may only have one heart but I am giving it all to this show.”
Millie Gibson has been cast as The Doctor’s companion, Ruby Sunday. At the age of 19, she is the youngest actor to play the Doctor’s companion. Another formerDoctor Whocompanion will return in the form of Bonnie Langford as Mel Bush. Bush was the companion of the Sixth and Seventh Doctor and made a brief appearance in Jodie Whitaker’s final episode, “The Power of the Doctor”. She was then given a prominent role in the 2023 special “The Giggle,” where she was last seen enjoying time with David Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor as he settled down with Donna Noble.
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Jemma Redgrave will return as Kate Stewart, a character that appeared in episodes during Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi’s tenure as well as the recent special “The Giggle”. The rest of the cast includes Aneurin Barnard (Dunkirk) as Roger ap Gwilliam, and Indira Varma (Game of Thrones) will play a character known as the Duchess. Anita Dobson (EastEnders) and Michelle Greenidge (After Life) have been cast in undisclosed roles as has Jinkx Monsoon in what has been described as a major role. Jonathan Groff (Frozen) will also play a key role in the series. Lenny Rush (Enola Holmes 2) has been cast as a character named Morris.
Doctor Who Series 14: Everything Else We Know
One of the most exciting possibilities is thatDoctor WhoSeries 14 (or Series One, as Davies calls it) looks to be only the beginning of a more massive shared universe. Bad Wolf production company has taken over creative control ofDoctor Who(Bad Wolf was the name of Davies’s first major story arc inDoctor Whoand was founded by formerDoctor Whoproducers Julie Gardner and Jane Tranter). One of the most exciting prospects is how the franchise looks to grow and expand beyondDoctor Who.
Davies had done this before during his tenure as showrunner onDoctor Who. Two major spin-offs launched, the adult-orientedTorchwoodand the kid-friendlySarah Jane Adventures. This series was featured in a major crossover event in Series 4 alongsideDoctor Who. Since Davies’s departure, both series ended, and the previous attempt at aDoctor Whospin-off,The Class, failed to get off the ground as it was canceled after one season.
Yet, with what the creators are calling the Whoniverse, they are looking at more spin-offs and connectivity than ever before. Hints of apossible UNIT spin-offcould be found in “The Giggle”, and now, with two Doctors around following the events of that special, it appears this is only the beginning for the franchise.
Doctor Who
Originally premiered in 1963, Doctor Who is a sci-fi series that follows a powerful being known as a Time Lord, referred to as the Doctor. Using an interdimensional time-traveling ship known as the TARDIS, the Doctor travels time and space with various companions as they solve multiple problems and help avert catastrophe as much as they almost cause it. Though the Doctor is always the same character, they experience regenerations, allowing them to be recast every few seasons as a unique immortal being with new personality traits.
