The BBC has confirmed that the new Doctor Who spin-off series, The War Between the Land and the Sea, will debut on Sunday, 7 December 2025. The five-part series will launch with a double bill on BBC One and iPlayer, offering fans an early Christmas treat.
Showrunner and writer Russell T Davies 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 marks a departure from the traditional Saturday slot, but Doctor Who and its spin-offs have previously aired on Sundays.
The cast includes Russell Tovey as Barclay, a low-level UNIT staff member, Gugu Mbatha-Raw as the mysterious Salt, and Jemma Redgrave reprising her role as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart. The story sees UNIT facing an ancient threat from the Sea Devils, with humanity's survival hanging in the balance.
International viewers will have to wait, as the series will stream on Disney+ in 2026, marking the end of Disney's co-production and distribution deal for Doctor Who. The BBC synopsis describes Barclay’s ordinary life turning into a world of terror when an ancient species rises from the sea, and he becomes humanity’s ambassador during a summit on the Thames.
Additional cast includes Alexander Devrient, Ruth Madeley, and Colin McFarlane, the latter returning as Austin Pierce from Torchwood: Children of Earth. The War Between the Land and the Sea will be the final Who-related content for around a year, before a Christmas special in 2026 addresses Ncuti Gatwa’s apparent regeneration into Billie Piper.
