DOCTOR WHO BUDGET 'TO TRIPLE' UNDER DISNEY+ DEAL

As revealed last month, the BBC and Disney Branded Television have come together to transform Doctor Who into a global franchise for UK audiences and the rest of the world.

Broadcast reports that Doctor Who's existing budget of £1-3m per episode could triple with an episodic budget of £10m. This would transform Doctor Who into a £100,000,000 franchise.

A source told Broadcast that it's an "incredibly exciting" time for the franchise, with Russell T. Davies expected to expand the universe with spin-off series, similar to Torchwood and the Sarah Jane Adventures.

A source told the publication: "The BBC had to make the decision for the future success of Doctor Who because any show of scale needs a partner. Reliability is the most important factor irrespective of how many episodes you make or who the Doctor is...

"If you can bring in a single partner with one distribution agreement, while retaining exclusivity in the UK, that is the best of both worlds for the BBC."

Broadcast's report can be found here.

The BBC shared at the time: Under a shared creative vision, they will deliver this quintessentially British show to future generations on an unprecedented scale with Disney+ as the exclusive home for new seasons of Doctor Who outside the UK and Ireland.

Both partners have aligned under returning showrunner Russell T Davies' bold vision, who takes control of the TARDIS in 2023.

Russell T Davies says: "I love this show, and this is the best of both worlds – with the vision and joy of the BBC and Disney+ together we can launch the TARDIS all around the planet, reaching a new generation of fans while keeping our traditional home firmly on the BBC in the UK."

The new episodes will premiere on the BBC and Disney+ beginning in late 2023 for fans all over the world. The show will be produced in Wales by Bad Wolf with BBC Studios Production.