The BBC has announced that its highly anticipated series The War Between the Land and the Sea will launch with a double bill on Sunday 7 December at 8:30pm on BBC iPlayer and BBC One. Created by Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies, the five-part thriller stars Russell Tovey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Jemma Redgrave.
The series follows Barclay (Russell Tovey), a low-level UNIT staff member whose ordinary life becomes a world of terror when an ancient species rises from the sea. Barclay becomes humanity’s ambassador when the mysterious Salt (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) emerges from the Tank at a summit on the Thames. UNIT, led by Kate Lethbridge-Stewart (Jemma Redgrave), fights for control as humanity faces destruction.
The star-studded cast also includes Ruth Madeley as Shirley Bingham, Alexander Devrient as Colonel Christofer Ibrahim, and Colin McFarlane as General Austin Pierce. Other cast members include Adrian Lukis, Patrick Baladi, Francesca Corney, Mei Mac, Vincent Franklin, Waleed Hammad, Iestyn Arwel, Hannah Donaldson, Manpreet Bachu, and Ann Akinjirin.
Russell T Davies, showrunner, writer and executive producer, said: “We’re so proud to launch this show at the height of the schedules - and then all five episodes will combine to make a terrific box set to watch over the Christmas holidays!”
The series is produced by Bad Wolf with BBC Studios for the BBC and Disney Branded Television. It will launch with a double bill on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK at 8:30pm on Sunday 7 December, and exclusively on Disney+ outside of the UK (where available) in 2026. The series is directed by Dylan Holmes Williams, with Lorne Balfe as composer.
