Doctor Who’s upcoming spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea will air earlier than previously announced, the BBC has confirmed.
The five-part series, which is set to star Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw alongside several recurring Doctor Who actors, had been scheduled to air in 2026.
However, the BBC has now confirmed the spin-off will arrive on BBC One and BBC iPlayer later this year.
The news comes alongside the BBC’s confirmation that Disney will not partner on further seasons of the beloved sci-fi, but that the British broadcaster is “fully committed” to more of the series.
The show will return in 2026 with a new Christmas special written by Russell T Davies, marking a 19-month gap following Ncuti Gatwa’s final episode in May 2025.
Set in the Whonuiverse, The War Between the Land and the Sea will follow the military organisation UNIT as they are forced to deal with the arrival of an ancient species, the Sea Devils.
Davies recently described the series as “absolutely brilliant”.
“I’m immensely proud of it. I think it’s absolutely brilliant. It’s like we had a good idea,” he said on the Pilot TV podcast, before adding: “Sometimes you finish a show and they’re like, ‘Great, good, we did a really good job’.”
He continued: “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.”
Tovey and Mbatha-Raw will be joined by fellow cast members and UNIT legends Jemma Redgrave (Kate Steart) Alexander Devrient (Colonel Ibrahim), and Ruth Madeley (Shirley Bingham).
The War Between the Land and the Sea will air on BBC One on BBC iPlayer.
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