New Doctor Who spin-off series gets major update from BBC following “exceptionally competitive” bidding process

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With the last episode of one Doctor Who spin-off, ‘The War Between the Land and the Sea,’ set to air this Sunday, December 21st, we have some big news about another series.

I was really excited to hear earlier this year that the BBC was planning a new animated series for very young children, based on Doctor Who! They were looking for a studio to bring it to life, and it’s going to be shown on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer – perfect for introducing a new generation to the Doctor!

British animation studio Blue Zoo will be making the new series after winning a competitive bidding process. They’ve previously created popular CBeebies shows like Numberblocks, Alphablocks, and Mojo Swoptops.

The show has been renewed for two seasons, totaling 52 episodes that are each about 11 minutes long. Production is scheduled to begin in 2026.

Patricia Hidalgo, head of BBC Children’s & Education, shared her excitement about bringing Doctor Who to CBeebies, making the show accessible to very young children for the first time.

This new series demonstrates our continued support for British animation, highlighting locally-made shows with the ability to gain international recognition – and maybe even become timeless classics.

We received many strong proposals for this project and want to thank all the producers we considered for their excellent work.

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Adam Shaw, co-founder of Blue Zoo Animation Studio, shared that this year marks the studio’s 25th anniversary, making it particularly rewarding to reimagine a beloved and iconic British story for today’s children.

Doctor Who is beloved by generations of fans, and we understand how important it is to them. Adapting such a classic show for younger children is a really exciting and creative opportunity, and we can’t wait to get started.

This new show marks the first time a ‘Doctor Who’ series has been created specifically for very young children. While past spin-offs like ‘The Sarah Jane Adventures’ were for older kids on CBBC, and ‘Torchwood’ was for adults on BBC Three, this one is designed for preschoolers.

Doctor Who is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

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Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs writes about TV dramas for TopMob, covering shows on streaming services and traditional channels. Before becoming a writer, he worked in public relations, first at a business-to-business agency and then at Fremantle, a global TV production company. He holds a BA degree in English and Theatre Studies, as well as a Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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2025-12-17 18:34