Former Doctor Who showrunner, Steven Moffat, has joked that the BBC has a national duty to carry on making the show, but suggests we won’t know much of the programme’s future until after the spin-off has aired.

The War Between the Land and the Sea is apparently due to air next year, so Moffat says:

“The spin-off’s been shot and I imagine decisions don’t get taken until that’s gone out, and that’s not for a while. But it’s always painful when it’s off the air. I think there’s a national duty for the BBC to make Doctor Who.”

We don’t actually know for certain when The War Between the Land and the Sea will screen on the BBC and Disney+, but 2026 has been hinted at quite recently. Plus, it would tide (heh) viewers over until new Doctor Who.

Nonetheless, the future of Who is up in the air, as another season hasn’t been recommissioned, and Billie Piper, who we saw Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor regenerate into, may or may not be the Sixteenth Doctor.

We’re all waiting for Disney to make a decision, which yes, is unlikely to be revealed until after The War Between the Land and the Sea airs. Still, we also think Disney and the BBC know that decision already seeing as the House of Mouse wasn’t apparently very happy with Gatwa’s two seasons; it’s very unlikely they’ll commission another series, which seemingly leaves the BBC to find another streaming partner or let it rest for a while.

Let’s keep twiddling our thumbs, team.