Following a competitive pitch process, British animation studio Blue Zoo has secured the contract to produce a brand-new Doctor Who pre-school animation for CBeebies and BBC iPlayer.

BBC Children’s and Education invited UK producers to pitch for the opportunity in June 2025, for fair and open selection. From a strong field of producer pitches, Blue Zoo’s proposal scored highest against the published criteria.

The new animated series, inspired by the Doctor Who universe, marks the first time the ‘Whoniverse’ has been expanded into an animated series for pre-school audiences.

Patricia Hidalgo, Director of BBC Children’s & Education, says: “We can’t wait to welcome the Doctor to CBeebies, introducing this beloved family favourite to our youngest audience for the very first time. This new series further strengthens our commitment to the British animation industry by championing homegrown productions with the potential to travel the world and, perhaps even through time and space.”

“The bidding process for this project was exceptionally competitive, and we would like to commend all the shortlisted producers for the outstanding quality and depth of their proposals.”

Adam Shaw, Co-founder of Blue Zoo Animation Studio, says: “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.”

BBC has previously collaborated with Blue Zoo on popular CBeebies programmes such as Numberblocks, Alphablocks, and Mojo Swoptops.

The new animated series will begin production in 2026 for two series of 26 11-minute episodes to transmit in 2027/2028 and 2028/2029.