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Total Film
Total Film
Entertainment
Emily Garbutt

Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials release schedule: When are new episodes airing on BBC and Disney Plus?

David Tennant, Karl Collins, and Catherine Tate in Doctor Who.

Doctor Who is back. Over a year after Jodie Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor last graced our screens, the show is back for a handful of new episodes to mark the series' 60th anniversary – and we can expect to see some familiar faces. 

David Tennant is back in the TARDIS, accompanied by Catherine Tate's Donna Noble, while Donna's mother Sylvia (Jacqueline King) and husband Shaun (Karl Collins) also return. They're joined by Heartstopper's Yasmin Finney, who's playing Donna and Shaun's daughter Rose. Oh, and get ready for appearances from Meep and the Toymaker, too. 

We've got your complete guide to watching the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials, from episode counts and release dates to where you need to tune in to watch. 

Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials: When is The Star Beast releasing on BBC and Disney Plus? 

(Image credit: BBC)

The Star Beast, the first of the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials, will be released on Saturday, November 25 at 11.30am PT/1.30pm ET, which is 6.30pm in the UK. 

How many Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials are there? 

(Image credit: BBC)

There are three Doctor Who anniversary specials and one festive Christmas special – so that's four special episodes in total before the new season kicks off in 2024.  

Where can you watch the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials? 

(Image credit: BBC)

UK viewers can watch all the 2023 specials on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK, while those in the US can tune in on Disney Plus

Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials release schedule: When are new episodes airing? 

(Image credit: BBC)

The three anniversary specials will be airing weekly, with a new episode being released every Saturday.  

  • The Star Beast – November 25
  • Wild Blue Yonder – December 2
  • The Giggle – December 9

When is the Doctor Who Christmas special 2023 releasing? 

(Image credit: BBC)

Once the 60th anniversary specials are over and done with, Ncuti Gatwa will step into the TARDIS and take the reins for the Doctor Who Holiday Special, titled 'The Church on Ruby Road'. That episode arrives, fittingly, on December 25 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK and Disney Plus in the US. 


For more, check out our guide to the other best new TV shows coming our way in 2023 and beyond.

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