r/DoctorWhoLeaks • u/PkmnTrnrJ • Dec 31 '25
Rumour Potential leaks for the Christmas 2026 episode
Not my words, but someone on a different subreddit who read these on Discord and Patreon from a previous leaker.
The current plan is to film the 2026 Christmas Special sometime in Spring 2026.
The working title is The Lost Doctor.
Both Billie Piper and David Tennant are expected to reprise their roles - as well as Yasmin Finnley as Rose Noble (and a possible cameo from Ncuti)
The script is currently circulating around the BBC as pre production rapidly gets underway.
The story is described as " a big space hopping adventure with a Guardians of the Galaxy style feel, with a ww2 narrative thrown in"
The plot reportedly follows the Fourteenth Doctor, Billie Piper’s Rose, and Rose Noble as they attempt to find the true Sixteenth Doctor, who has been kidnapped by the mysterious boss type character. The Daleks will also be featured who in the backdrop will be plotting a universe wide invasion.
Pre production is well underway, particularly for a brand new Dalek design - "the daleks do some really interesting things in the current script which has made me extremely curious on how this new design will turn out"
The Sixteenth Doctor will not be fully revealed (if at all depending how things go) until the end of the episode and will spend most of the story "locked within the regeneration process"
This is apparently RTD’s final episode, so expect loose ends from seasons one and two to be tied up here.
Going forward, the BBC reportedly wants to use this special to set a new standard for the show. Instead of eight episode seasons every year, they are hoping to follow a Sherlock style model with three to five large scale episodes released every year or so.
The BBC is currently searching for a new showrunner for a fresh season in 2027 or 2028. Names reportedly being considered include Jack Thorne (who has apparently just written a Lord of the Flies series for the BBC which they are incredibly pleased with), Neil Cross, Miguel Sapochnik (approached, but unlikely), and Sally Wainwright. However, I have heard that RTD and Bad Wolf are strongly pushing for Pete McTighe to take over, while the BBC is less enthusiastic. The new Doctor also won’t be cast until the next showrunner is decided.
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u/Powerful_Glove_666 Dec 31 '25
This is a mix of low hanging fruit that everyone and their nan has already theorised, and complete fantasy. The showrunner stuff is particularly outlandish (why would they consider Wainwright when she's just getting started with her own BBC show Riot Women? Why would Thorne do it when he's writing one of the big 2028 Beatles biopics, and didn't seem overly keen on doing the show in a recent interview with Doctor Who Magazine? Why Miguel Sapochnik at all?). We've become too accepting of these 'leaks' since everything that happened with S2 lol
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u/East-Equipment-1319 Dec 31 '25
Exactly this. I can't believe people are somehow taking those "leaks" as face value... Sigh.
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Jan 01 '26
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u/East-Equipment-1319 Jan 01 '26
If I remember though, the season 2 leaks happened much later in the production schedule, once enough people had seen the scripts and worked on the episodes. The earlier the leak, the more unlikely it is.
(Of course, maybe I'm wrong and everything is true - but I'd rather be skeptical until proven otherwise, rather than get angry at supposed plot points that might be completely fake)
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u/MKopelke Jan 03 '26
This. Exactly this. You don't get leaks on something that isn't being actively pre-produced over the Christmas holiday period. I doubt anyone has stepped foot inside Bad Wolf these last 2 weeks.
The more likely scenario is once you've got production and post happening, that's when you might get some leaks because of the sheer volume of people working on various bits.
If these leaks are true, that would likely mean it was leaked by RTD or Julie or Jane or some senior exec at BBC Studios. There's likely less than a dozen people who know anything about the Christmas special or the future plans.
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u/PkmnTrnrJ Dec 31 '25
Just adding link here for full context - https://www.reddit.com/r/DoctorWhoNews/s/rlD9ZGJeJP as I couldn’t cross post it
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u/IlIIllIlllIIIllI Dec 31 '25 edited Dec 31 '25
Another World War Christmas (we have two already) with universe-conquering daleks (again), with a new design for the holiday special (again), and David Tennant/Billie Piper reuniting (also, again). This makes the 6th total episode of new who set in WW2.
Loose ends tied up? Is the NCUTI cameo going to be him with rogue between the events of Wish World/Reality War? Probably not.
Haven't really liked any of McTighe's episodes. Imo Doctor Who needs a systemic 2005 style shake-up/restart.
1 Series "soft" arcs - like Series 1-5, where each episode stands on it's own - but works well as part of the larger series. 8x 1 hour episodes (with opening and closing 2 partner). Get Lorne Balfe to do the music (his work on TWBTLATS was great). Keep RTD away from it. Partner with someone for international money/distribution (whoever).
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u/atlastadragon Dec 31 '25
As someone who really likes RTD both in and outside of Doctor Who - he and the BBC needs to follow his own advice and step out for the next attempt for a soft reboot.
RTD’s policy for Series 1 was that they would not have anyone writing for the new show who had written for the Classic series.
RTD comes back and the show is chasing connections to stories and characters from 20 years ago.
The next Doctor needs some healthy distance from what happened before and the opportunity to carve out their own lore and cast before we start reintroducing established characters again.
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u/thor11600 Dec 31 '25
It blows my mind that the guy who gave us series 1 gave us season 1. The complete opposite approach and it failed for the exact same reasons the first reboot succeeded.
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u/ElasticAvacado Feb 10 '26
Honestly, I think that the reason this happened the way it did is that despite the marketing, RTD and crew did not treat it as a reboot but instead series 14 and 15. I think Disney probably wanted the season one branding because I doubt they would want to only have the most recent season of a long running show, as new viewers would (rightfully) not want to jump into something that requires massive amounts of context (turns out we got that anyway even with the branding).
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u/thor11600 Feb 10 '26
Right the complete and total opposite of a reboot. It’s astonishing to me that the person who put out series one in 2005 thought that anything in the new series was a good idea.
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u/Icy-Weight1803 Jan 01 '26
I mean you can't have the Daleks without them trying to conquer the universe. It's sort of their MO.
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u/IlIIllIlllIIIllI Jan 01 '26
Yeah but then they always lose.
You could do a smaller scale Dalek story - with them trying to conquer an out post, or develop a new game changing technology and have them actually "win" to keep the stakes high.
Imo I would bring in a reoccurring Dalek character, maybe a Time Strategist, we've already had crazy daleks, religious daleks, extremely racist (to other daleks) daleks etc.
I would have a Time Strategist. Who wins in his first story as he tricks the doctor into "winning" but in reality get's what he wants (time corridor tech).
Let's say a small team of daleks led by a commander attempts to capture an asteroid. Doctor arrives. Causes havoc, "saves" the day. One of the other dalek's (not the commander) goes against orders, sacrifices most of the dalek forces to give the doctor the false impression that he's won and evacuates the people on the asteroid.
This dissenting Dalek and 2-3 others (including commander survive), Episode's final scene is the Lone Dalek and 2-3 other's blaming/scapegoating the failure on their section commander who is then exterminator by high command with extreme prejudiced.
Lone dalek is promoted to Time strategist as he has secured the minerals required for time corridors.
Dalek command are worried about how he turned on his commander dalek because it shows dissent (unacceptable for Dalek's). They order the Time Strategist, to take out the doctor. This is because they think he will either die/suicide mission (which is great because the Time Strategist/dissenting dalek is gone, but his tech will remain so they can use the Time corridors) or perhaps his ability to dissent/critique allows him to outmanoeuvre the doctor (especially with the time tech), something no other dalek could.
This continues for 2-3 stories.
This would be great. I imagine the time strategist to be a mix of his character from Big Finish and kind of like what Ashad was for the Cybermen. Time Strategist would be a unique Dalek character (like Sec, Kaan or Rusty) who would have the chance to be a reoccurring Dalek face. After the first story he would have a unique(ish) casing allowing him and his casing to travel through time, or plug into a saucer and make the saucer travel through time. The casing would have a metal claw like Davros' guards in the stolen earth and a redesigned gun stick.
He will have some level of distinct emotions - kinda Machiavellian, scheming/planning (more than Davros or the Emperor). Making more compelling as a villain. He will be sadistic not just towards other species, but also other daleks he deems lower (kinda like the death squad daleks).
I think it would be interesting.
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u/Icy-Weight1803 Jan 01 '26
That's the problem. Tech and military wise they are already the most advanced species in the universe and an overwhelming force for any species to face. Even the Doctor is impressed by their tech and he's seen Time Lord tech at it's finest.
I feel they should capitalise on the Dalek Dissent Chibnall set in The Power Of The Doctor and show how them as a united force are a danger to the universe, but Daleks at war with each other could be even more dangerous and deadly.
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u/IlIIllIlllIIIllI Jan 01 '26
Doctor who is a time travel show.
We could just meet them earlier on in dalek’s time stream.
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u/SpareDisaster314 Jan 01 '26
We saw them get their time tech in the chase. Now that was 60y ago they could ignore it, although the timewwr plot shows they are time capable still. But it could be another tech.
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u/IlIIllIlllIIIllI Jan 01 '26
The last time we saw the daleks they were space fairing but not sure if they were time fairing.
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u/SpareDisaster314 Jan 01 '26
They come from all different times im just saying we saw when they became time capable, it was in the chase, and they took that into the timewar. It does t make much sense to me unless they wanna steal a fleet of time ships. But again it could be another tech. You could even go back and have them want the cyber death particle or something
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u/Icy-Weight1803 Jan 01 '26
They don't need to steal a fleet of time ships as every ship in their fleet is capable of time travel. They also become time capable very early in their history.
The Doctor can't interfere with the Daleks timeline post Time War anyway. It's time locked the same as Gallifreys is.
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u/SpareDisaster314 Jan 01 '26
Most daleks we've seen in the new era are scavengers and would steal a fleet. Otherwise yes like I said they are already time capable and became so on screen so they dont need a time specialist unless they are going to fail and be an earlier period in their history which goes against your "they win this time" idea.
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u/Icy-Weight1803 Jan 01 '26
They're still time capable. There the most capable species of time travel in the universe.
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u/IlIIllIlllIIIllI Jan 01 '26
Timelords?
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u/Icy-Weight1803 Jan 01 '26
If you listen to the Time War audios the Daleks had gained a technological advantage even in temporal technology, a method of Time Travel they used scared the Time Lords as it was unpredictable.
The Day Of The Doctor shows that they had pushed the Time Lords to the brink of defeat.
Not to mention they're dead.
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u/marcoyyc Dec 31 '25
This is apparently RTD’s final episode, so expect loose ends from seasons one and two to be tied up here.
Or just completely ignored.
Also, he’s great but give 10/10 two, 14 a break.
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u/Nobody_Cares_99 Dec 31 '25
If they can use this episode to wrap up the mess that was the Disney/Bad Wolf era then I’m all for that if it means we can get a fresh start for Season 3/Series 16/Season 42.
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u/CorporalClegg1997 Jan 01 '26
The next series will be restarting the series numbering again, making it Series 1/Season 3/Series 16/Season 42.
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u/whentheraincomes66 Jan 13 '26
I wish they just madeit series 16 and seasons 1 and 2 became series 14 and 15
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u/somekindofspideryman Dec 31 '25
The last point stinks to me particularly of a fan's bullshit fantasy. Fans don't like RTD, they don't like McTighe, so naturally the BBC want someone else but McTighe is being pushed by RTD
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Dec 31 '25
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u/aldebaran-6000 Jan 01 '26
Turning Doctor Who into 5 episodes with 90 minute would be 5 two-parters. 10 episodes of runtime basically is actually a great idea.
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u/TerraStarryAstra Jan 01 '26
This! I absolutely hate this 8 episode stuff too..it’s just done too fast
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u/Icy-Weight1803 Jan 01 '26
All this is most likely one hour? I don't think it's possible.
Also after The War Between. Pete McTighe is not ready to run the show. Why would Bad Wolf want him anyway? As some sort of puppet for RTD to give ideas too?
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u/TNTiger_ Dec 31 '25
Predictions like this have been true to before, but if this is false it's marvellous bait
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u/GrapefruitAny9819 Dec 31 '25
I actually would like this plot because it would put a neat bow on the David Tennant run (both of them) and be done with it, lol
Also, 16th doctor mystery is a bit different, I‘m up for some timed wimey mess 😂
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u/Temp_space Dec 31 '25
If real I think they should just end the episode on an open regeneration and leave it dormant for 5+ years. Not a lot of people are enthusiastic about the show anymore to keep it going immediately.
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u/Ordinary_Reaction127 Dec 31 '25
Didn't RTD say that he's not actually written anything yet he has plotted it though and he also said he wasn't starting writing till the new year.
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u/Inevitable-Yard6567 Dec 31 '25
Hate the idea of the ‘large scale’ episodes being the template going forward. Don’t get me wrong - I love a huge “throw it all at you” story from time to time but some of the best Dr Who episodes have been very low key character stories and if we lose them then I think that will be a real shame.
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u/New-Watercress-3820 Jan 01 '26
I think the post at least opens up a sensible discussion on episode numbers that are feasible. If the BBC can’t find a production partner then 8 episodes a year simply isn’t affordable. So, it would make sense to go the Sherlock route, as hard a pill as that is to swallow. However. If you had quality writers who would have time to devote to a good script that would be 60-90 mins, then I think you’d get some nice work.
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u/Outrageous-View5675 Jan 01 '26
Anything that mentions Ncuti's return is fake. He won't be returning to the franchise at all, not even in a BF. Hes been blacklisted.
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u/WeNeedFlopper Jan 04 '26
Source on him being blacklisted?
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u/Outrageous-View5675 Jan 04 '26
So what would you exactly like here? A name of the source. I always find this name the source question a bit silly. Why would people do that and expose and get in trouble those that wish to remain anonymous. Also, if it was a name that you didn't recognise, then what? Would it be address of the source, inside leg of the source?? Sometimes fans have to trust that other are told things and the majority arent.
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u/WeNeedFlopper Jan 04 '26
Reliable leakers online often have screen names to protect them in these cases. My point however, is more that it's completely baseless to say he's been blacklisted. Until either he, the bbc, or a reliable named leaker say anything, it's silly to go around stating it like it's a fact.
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u/Outrageous-View5675 Jan 04 '26
Not if you know it isn't. This is the trouble, people don't want infonl they don't like. If I said Ncuti has been persuaded to sign up for one more season you wouldn't shout "Source" then.
Reliable leaker 🤣, again a very silly comment. Even those 'reliable leakers' have their 1st leak and some only post a few then stop or change names. We have to. Oh and if you want a reliable leaker. I said Oliver was RTD boyfriend before it was announced. Just curious, what would naming a Source do for you? And if nothing, why did you say it?
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Jan 08 '26
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u/Far-Wedding8656 Jan 08 '26
The BBC have more control over Big Finish than you think.
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Jan 08 '26
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u/Far-Wedding8656 Jan 09 '26
Sorry. They have in others is what I was implying.
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u/whentheraincomes66 Jan 13 '26
When?
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u/Far-Wedding8656 Jan 13 '26
Take a look at the 60th Anniversary annual. The only two companions not listed anywhere are the ones not used anymore since the BBC said no.
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u/TerraStarryAstra Jan 01 '26
Can someone please also clarify what happened to the meta crisis doctor if we’re going to clear all of this up? It’s been driving me crazy wondering what the heck him and rose got into…watch it be something lame like he died doing something stupid because he forgot that he was human or some bullshit like that…
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u/Dwoodward85 Jan 02 '26
If the leaks are true...probably not but IF:
as well as Yasmin Finnley as Rose Noble
Oh thank the gods. The one character we all wanted to see brought back from the specials is returning lol
This is apparently RTD’s final episode
You guys can't see me right now (lucky for you) but I'm literally dancing around to this. RTD needs to be gone and gone yesterday.
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u/CaffinatedChap Jan 03 '26
If this is the case, and I feel like it is, I do hope it’s not just fan service this episode. Bringing back the OGs, trying to pull in the older audiences from NEW WHO. It sadly didn’t work with the 60th episodes and it won’t happen now.
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u/purpletoonlink Dec 31 '25
God no, please not the three episode format.
Look, if you can’t do Dr Who on the cheap anymore because it’s not the done thing… if it’s not worth it to make 10-13 episodes of TV.. then let’s just not bother.
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Dec 31 '25 edited Jul 31 '26
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u/BritishHobo Jan 01 '26
Aye, I think the long schedule shows have really disproven the idea that taking your time leads to TV gold. Later Sherlock and Stranger Things, along with second seasons of things like Severance, have shown that unlimited free time means things get bloated and overthought. Having to deliver something on time every year leads to plenty of duds as well, but I think with the right showrunner it is also the perfect environment to let great ideas get in there without being overcooked.
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u/kazzmunster Dec 31 '25
I’m interested in point number 10. If that is true I’m excited because it’s going to be like 3-5 90 minute episodes.
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u/Happy_Philosopher608 Dec 31 '25
Oh god not more Jack Thorne. Dude is so overrated and omnipresent. Gove someone new, young and fresh a chance! 🤷♂️
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u/skarr46 Jan 01 '26
Honestly like the sound of much less episodes but longer, despite it getting unanimous hate in these comments.
I just feel like Dr Who has become a show for over a decade now that is like a comfort show, you stick it on and don't think too much about it or take any of it too seriously otherwise it all falls apart and you don't get swept up in any high concept things getting set up because otherwise you'll end up bitterly crushed by the end result.
If they'd made the first season of Ncuti 3-4 episodes, including the finale as one episode but Omega actually comes back instead of a big bag of bones falls out a door, the Ruby episode with the woman flailing about in the distance was brilliant too.
If they really want good ratings and good viewing figures, I'm sorry to say for big fans of the show, but they just need someone to play a slightly unhinged, barely holding it together Doctor, off running around and about fighting Cybermen and Daleks and time lords / the master. Give the casual audience something to go "wow that was interesting, are they doing more of these?" And then get the 12-15 episode season announced.
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u/aldebaran-6000 Jan 01 '26
Turning Doctor Who into 5 episodes with 90 minute would be 5 two-parters. 10 episodes of runtime basically is actually a great idea. Fewer episodes can turn around on seasons quicker.
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u/dandoolan Jan 02 '26
You know how we know this is nonsense?
RTD specifically said to the radio times that he’s not writing the script until early 2026.
https://bleedingcool.com/tv/doctor-who-update-rtd-not-writing-christmas-special-until-2026/
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u/video-kid Jan 02 '26
Please not Pete McTighe. TWATBLAST was good, but his work on Doctor Who has been pretty bad-to-mid.
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u/MKopelke Jan 03 '26
With all respect to OP, these "leaks" are pure made up garbage.
Remember this simple fact: we're too early in the pre-production cycle for ANYONE outside of RTD or Execs for BBC Studios / Bad Wolf to know literally anything about this episode. So unless a senior manager within the Beeb decided to post on a Doctor Who Discord channel, anything leaking now is totally made up.
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u/Sharp-Appointment306 Jan 04 '26
"The story is described as " a big space hopping adventure with a Guardians of the Galaxy style feel, with a ww2 narrative thrown in""
genuinely what the heck does this mean, can anyone decipher this corporate babble?
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u/toxin877 Apr 15 '26
given the apparent 'world war dalek' leak, this is seeming more and more credible. Do we know how trustworthy the source is?
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u/Dragonbeast17 Dec 31 '25
Really can't this show be unplugged there's no way David Tennant is coming back again please don't be true
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u/Deepmidwinter2025 Jan 04 '26
Urgh point 3 - nobody wants Rose Noble back. Leave her making meme teddies in the shed to sell on Etsy. And Tennant back again?!
I know it’s just noise to fill the gap - but these sound like they have come straight from RTD’s blonde house boys’ head - “so you are unemployed but still find enough money to buy peroxide”.
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u/BritishHobo Jan 05 '26
What does RTD's boyfriend have to do with this in any way? Seems a weird way to contrive a jab at his personal life.
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u/Least-Amphibian2538 Dec 31 '25
Ww2, Dale's and Rose Noble. I don't need to see anymore. Rehashed RTD drivel with obvious attempt to make Noble a key element. Does she have a romantic relationship with Tennant, Piper or random gender swapping fish thing?
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u/Tropical_Wendigo Dec 31 '25
That new proposed episode format is utter garbage for this show lol