The BBC has released its Annual Report on its own successes and perhaps failings over the last year, and it includes an interesting caveat about the upcoming CBeebies Doctor Who animation.
The series will be “inspired by the Whoniverse”, so might not actually feature the Doctor at all.
The BBC’s Annual Report states:
“Doctor Who spin-off series The War Between the Land and the Sea, made by Bad Wolf and BBC Studios, starring Russell Tovey, was one of the BBC’s biggest new drama launches of the year, and the BBC has commissioned a preschool animation series for CBeebies, inspired by the Whoniverse, as the Disney+ partnership draws to a close. A dedicated fan exhibition, Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder: Where Science Meets Fiction, returned to the Comic-Con Museum in San Diego in early 2026 for the second year running.”
The animation was put out to tender, meaning companies could pitch for the chance to produce it — just, as it turns out, is the case with Doctor Who proper this year. This process was won by Blue Zoo, with a commission of 52 episodes across two seasons.
Most of us presumed the Doctor would have some sort of presence in the animation, but that might not be the case after all. That would negate the need to focus on a particular incarnation of the Time Lord at least.
Adam Shaw, co-founder of Blue Zoo Animation Studio, previously said:
“This year, we celebrated 25 years of Blue Zoo so it’s an extra special honour to be given the chance to bring such a much-loved classic and a true British icon to a whole new generation of young viewers. Doctor Who means so much to so many people, and we don’t take that lightly at all. Reimagining something this legendary for a preschool audience is a brilliant creative challenge, and one we’re incredibly excited to dive into.”
So might this animation instead focus on one of the Doctor’s companions or foes? Clara’s journeys through space and time? An Adipose series? Daleks for under threes? Martha Jones being awesome? The Silence scaring the living daylights out of preschoolers?
We don’t have too long to wait. The first season is set to air next year.
