Doctor Who: Circuit Breaker brand-new mixed-media Whoniverse adventures begin in 2026

25 July 2025 – London: BBC Studios, in collaboration with BBC Audio, Big Finish Productions, Doctor Who Magazine, East Side Games, Penguin Random House and Titan Comics are excited to announce the upcoming launch of Circuit Breaker, a groundbreaking mixed-media Doctor Who story set to debut in 2026.

Spanning audio dramas, comics, mobile games, novels, and digital storytelling, Circuit Breaker is a bold new chapter in the Whoniverse offering ambitious interconnected narrative that will unfold across multiple formats, inviting fans to experience the mystery from every angle. The overarching narrative is crafted by Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson, best-selling author and rising star in speculative fiction and features Jo Martin as the Fugitive Doctor.

In Circuit Breaker, strange alien artifacts begin appearing inside UNIT’s Black Archive. Each object is unmistakably linked to a different regeneration of the Doctor, but they’ve been tampered with. A corrupted energy signature of unknown origin pulses through them, and their sudden arrival has torn tiny ruptures across time and space.

UNIT is out of options. To repair the damage and restore the timeline, the objects must be returned to the exact moments they were taken from. If not, the Doctor’s adventures – and the universe itself – could unravel.

To solve the mystery, UNIT calls upon a little-known incarnation of the Time Lord: the Fugitive Doctor, played by Jo Martin, who returns in a central role. But how does UNIT know about her? And is she the Doctor they expect?

Jo Martin commented: “I’m thrilled to tell more stories about the Fugitive Doctor and cannot wait for fans to unlock all the twists and turns across the Circuit Breaker story. This character has always meant so much to me, and it is a joy to continue building her legacy and dive back into the Whoniverse” ​

Stephen Davies, SVP Global Licensing, BBC Studios added “Circuit Breaker is an exciting evolution for the Whoniverse. By bringing together world-class partners across publishing, audio, comics, and gaming, we’re creating a truly immersive, multi-platform experience for fans. This is a bold step in expanding the Doctor Who brand, deepening engagement, exploring new stories, and welcoming new audiences into the universe of the Doctor.” ​

Circuit Breaker will debut in 2026. For more information, visit doctorwho.tv.

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Notes to editors

BBC Studios Communications

Farah Cherif – Farah.Cherif@bbc.com

Devin Johnson - Devin.Johnson@bbc.com ​

^{About Doctor Who ​}

^{Quintessentially British, Doctor Who is one of the longest running sci-fi television series in the world with legions of fans across the globe since it was launched by the BBC in 1963. Doctor Who remains one of the most watched programmes on iPlayer and season one was the BBC’s top drama for under 35s making it one of the biggest programmes for the demographic across broadcasters in the UK. ​ ​}

^{Doctor Who has a variety of licensees and partnerships spanning comics and collectibles, audiobooks, podcasts and magazines. Since 2012, over 17 million Sonic Screwdrivers and action figures, 19 million DVDs and over one million tickets for Doctor Who live events have sold globally. In 2023, BBC iPlayer launched the Whoniverse, a dedicated area where UK viewers can see more than 800 shows within the orbit of Doctor Who. Produced by Bad Wolf with BBC Studios for BBC and Disney Branded Television, Doctor Who is available exclusively on BBC iPlayer in the UK and on Disney+ in the rest of the world, where available. ​ www.doctorwho.tv ​}