Disney is in talks with the BBC about acquiring the rights to stream a new Doctor Who series.

Bloomberg reported that the two streaming giants are currently in discussions ahead of the show's anniversary special later this year. There is no guarantee that the two will reach a deal making Disney+ Doctor Who's new streaming home, according to anonymous sources privy to the potential deal. If the deal goes through, Disney fans and Whovians alike may see the sci-fi show air on the Disney+ streaming platform as well as through BBC. Doctor Who has aired almost exclusively through BBC since the show premiered in 1963 and has been housed sporadically on different platforms for global viewers, its current streaming home being the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned HBO Max.

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Doctor Who is one of the longest-running shows currently on air, thanks in part to the long list of actors taking on the role of the time-traveling main character. The show follows the many adventures of the Doctor, an ancient alien who belongs to a near-extinct race of Time Lords, and his different companions. Over a dozen actors have taken on the role of the Doctor since 1963, being that Time Lords are able to cheat death by regenerating and changing their appearance. Actor David Tennant played the Tenth Doctor for three seasons and nine specials, and is set to return for the show's 60th anniversary special alongside Donna Noble actor Catherine Tate. As of writing, the current actor to play the Doctor is Jodie Whittaker, picking up the sonic screwdriver as the first female incarnation of the protagonist, the Thirteenth Doctor.

Whittaker's role within the Doctor Who legacy isn't only as the first woman to portray the Doctor, but also as the first openly queer incarnation. LGBTQ+ representation has been present within the show before Whittaker joined Doctor Who, with characters like Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) and Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie). Showrunners Russell T. Davies, Steven Moffat, and Chris Chibnall not only continued to create queer characters on the show, but often cast queer actors these roles.

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The BBC announced in May that Scottish actor Ncuti Gawa will step into the role of the Fourteenth Doctor after Whittaker's tenure ends. He is the first Black actor to portray the character, and has previously appeared on Netflix's comedy show Sex Education, for which he won a BAFTA Scotland Award for Best Actor in Television in 2020. He was also nominated multiple times for the BAFTA Television Award for Best Male Comedy Performance.

Doctor Who's next special is set to premiere in 2023. Seasons 1 through 13 of the series are streaming now on HBO Max.

Source: Bloomberg