In a Pilot TV podcast recorded in front of a live audience on 8 August 2025, Russell T Davies expressed optimism for how the Doctor Who spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea is shaping up in post-production.
“I’m immensely proud of it. I think it’s absolutely brilliant. It’s like we had a good idea.”
“Sometimes you finish a show and they’re, ‘Great, good, we did a really good job.’ Sometimes they go through post-production where everything comes in. You work on the effects, on the music and the grading of it. Sometimes magic happens — and it’s happening with this. It’s even better than we thought it was! I’m delighted with it.”
Though official sources such as Doctor Who Magazine say that The War Between the Land and the Sea will transmit in 2025, Davies wouldn’t commit to a time frame.
“If only I knew that. No one will decide that. That’s up in the air. I wish I knew. I genuinely wish I knew. But it’s looking lovely.”
One would think that a showrunner and production company with a series in post-production would need to know when it must be completed.
As for main show, Doctor Who, there is still no news as to whether or when future series will be commissioned.
“I didn’t come on this podcast to announce any news. There’s nothing to report, nothing’s happening. You’ll know when you know, when we know. I don’t know.”
“Conversations are between the BBC and Disney. I don’t work for either of them. I work for Bad Wolf, so I’m not part of those rooms. So I literally don’t know. And even people I work with every day, so they couldn’t know what’s really going on. I’m going, ‘I don’t know.’ I really don’t know.”
Doctor Who currently streams on on Disney+. Though it’s assumed that the future of the show depends a decision from Disney, the wait was previously mentioned only in vague terms which didn’t specifically mention Disney. The BBC can’t commission more Doctor Who without knowing whether future series will stream on Disney+.
The War Between the Land and the Sea will transmit on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK, and exclusively on Disney+ outside of the UK (where available). While the trailer says “coming soon”, several sources have said the five-part series will begin transmission later this year.