Doctor Who season 15 release date, cast and latest news

Before we get there, though, fans can expect to see Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor meeting Varada Sethu's new companion character Belinda and trying to get her back home - although it seems they're going the long way round.

We already know the new episodes will also feature the return of Ruby Sunday and Susan Twist's character Susan Triad, plus a trip to the Interstellar Song Contest.

But what else do we know about Doctor Who season 15? Read on to find out more!

Doctor Who season 15 release date

We now have a confirmed release date for Doctor Who season 15, with the first episode set to air on on 12th April on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Unlike last season, which saw episodes releasing on BBC iPlayer at midnight UK time, this season will see episodes arrive on the streaming platform at 8am, before airing later that day on BBC One.

This means season 15 airs just under a year after season 14, which debuted in May 2024.

In October 2023, it was announced that filming had started on Gatwa's second season.

Filming went on to conclude on 26th May 2024, with RTD writing on Instagram: "That’s season 2 complete, well done everyone!"

Who will star in Doctor Who season 15?

Here are the cast members we currently know will be starring in Doctor Who season 15.

• Ncuti Gatwa as The Fifteenth Doctor
• Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday
• Varada Sethu as Belinda Chandra
• Jonah Hauer-King as TBC
• Jemma Redgrave as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart
• Bonnie Langford as Melanie Bush
• Ruth Madeley as Shirley Anne Bingham
• Alexander Devrient as Colonel Ibrahim
• Michelle Greenidge as Carla Sunday
• Angela Wynter as Cherry Sunday
• Anita Dobson as Mrs Flood
• Susan Twist as Susan Triad
• Alan Cumming as Mr Ring-a-Ding
• Christopher Chung as Cassio
• Kadiff Kirwan as TBC
• Rose Ayling-Ellis as TBC
• Benjamin Chivers as TBC
• Charlie Condou as TBC

Gatwa previously confirmed he would be staying for at least two seasons of Doctor Who, telling Rolling Stone: "[Theatre] kept me warm and it held me all night, even if I was broke. But I’m planning on getting back to it next year, after I finish season 2 of Doctor Who."

It's also been confirmed that Andor star Sethu has been cast as the Doctor's new companion, Belinda Chandra, with new pictures of her being released after the 2024 Christmas special.

Sethu made her Doctor Who debut as Mundy Flynn in a guest role in the Steven Moffat-penned episode Boom – but her new character Belinda will be completely different.

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It's also been reported that Gibson will take on a smaller role in season 15 – something that could prove exciting as we'll get to see more of Ruby's life beyond her adventures with the Doctor.

This makes sense, given the ending of season 14 finale, Empire of Death. That episode's culmination saw Ruby find her biological mother, Louise, and on the brink of finding her biological father, William.

She decided to stay behind to get to know them and live her life back on Earth, but we know that she will be returning at some point in season 15, with Russell T Davies teasing more stories for Ruby and her family.

At San Diego Comic-Con, Davies subsequently confirmed that Ruby won't be settling down in season 15, and that she'll be suffering from post traumatic stress disorder in the new episodes, following her adventures in season 14.

Gibson and Jonah Hauer-King have also been spotted together filming on set, with the actor appearing to play a love interest of Ruby's. At Comic-Con, it was confirmed that Hauer-King's character would be a part of Ruby's season 2 storyline.

There have been more teases about who we can expect, too, including a familiar face from an anniversary episode.

Script editor Scott Handcock previously wrote in Doctor Who Magazine: "A busy day for Block 2 as Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson meet with writers for a Block 2 page turn ahead of an afternoon readthrough – that features an actor who might be familiar to Doctor Who fans having appeared in a previous anniversary adventure."

Plus, plenty of characters from season 14 will be carried through to the next season, including Ruby's family – adoptive mum Carla (played by Michelle Greenidge) and nan Cherry (played by Angela Wynter).

One person we will also see again is Ruby's mysterious and all-knowing neighbour Mrs Flood, played by Anita Dobson. We didn't get answers about her last season but we suspect more will come now.

Classic Doctor Who companion Bonnie Langford is also expected to return alongside other UNIT supporting players including Jemma Redgrave as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart and Alexander Devrient as Colonel Ibrahim.

Ruth Madeley has also been spotted filming as UNIT scientific advisor Shirley Anne Bingham, having been introduced in the 60th-anniversary episodes but being absent from season 14.

It is unknown if we can expect returns from Yasmin Finney as Rose Noble or Lenny Rush as Morris Gibbons.

With fans being treated to a teaser trailer at the end of the Christmas special, Joy to the World, it was also recently confirmed that Rose Ayling-Ellis will be among the guest stars for the next season, as she features in an "absolutely terrifying" upcoming episode.

Davies said of her casting: "We always want guest actors on Doctor Who to have fun, but Rose takes it to a whole new level. She storms in with an astonishing performance of terror, anger and bravery in one of the most frightening episodes we’ve ever made.”

The showrunner also recently told Radio Times: "There’s a lot of amazing guest stars we haven’t announced yet. Some great monsters, great settings every week. Mainly, you’ll have [new companion] Belinda, played by Varada Sethu, who’s gorgeous."

In February 2025, it was confirmed that Christopher Chung would be guest starring in the new season, playing a character called Cassio – but whether he is friend or foe remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, his Slow Horses co-star Kadiff Kirwan was confirmed to have a role in March 2025.

When the release date for season 15 was officially confirmed, it was announced that Alan Cumming had joined the cast, although he will not be playing King James, who he played in season 11. Instead, he will voice cartoon character Mr Ring-a-Ding, who bursts from a movie screen in 1952 with terrifying consequences.

Meanwhile, The Devil's Hour star Benjamin Chivers was spotted in a trailer for the new season, and Charlie Condou was later announced as playing a new character.

How many episodes will be in Doctor Who season 15?

Doctor Who season 15 will consist of eight episodes.

Alex Pillai will be directing the first block of episodes, with Peter Hoar helming the second.

Speaking to RadioTimes.com and other press about The Last of Us in 2023, Hoar admitted that he "would love" to do another episode of the long-running sci-fi series – although he said that wasn't "on the cards" at the time.

He added: "I was with [Russell] last night and someone asked the exact same question, 'Oh, does this mean you're going to do Doctor Who together?' and I said, 'No,' and you could tell nobody believed a word I was saying, but it's true. I grew up with Doctor Who, hence why I would do it again."

Other directors for the season include Amanda Brotchie, Ben A Williams, and Makalla McPherson.

Much like season 14, episodes will air on BBC One and will be be available internationally on Disney Plus.

The full list of episodes was confirmed in March 2025, with the rundown as follows:

• The Robot Revolution: Written by Russell T Davies, directed by Peter Hoar
• Lux: Written by Russell T Davies, directed by Amanda Brotchie
• The Well: Written by Russell T Davies & Sharma Angel Walfall, directed by Amanda Brotchie
• Lucky Day: Written by Pete McTighe, directed by Peter Hoar
• The Story & the Engine: Written by Inua Ellams, directed by Makalla McPherson
• The Interstellar Song Contest: Written by Juno Dawson, directed by Ben A Williams
• Wish World: Written by Russell T Davies, directed by Alex Sanjiv Pillai
• The Reality War: Written by Russell T Davies, directed by Alex Sanjiv Pillai

Who is writing for Doctor Who season 15?

Of course, showrunner Russell T Davies, who penned all three of the 60th anniversary specials and six of the eight episodes of the 14th season, has returned to write episodes in the 2025 run.

However, we've also got four new writers stepping in to write episodes in season 15: Pete McTighe, Juno Dawson, Inua Ellams and Sharma Angel-Walfall.

Returning Doctor Who writer McTighe said: "The TARDIS is my home away from home, so it's been a joy to step back inside, with Russell at the console and the incredible team at Bad Wolf hanging on for dear life.

"I love this show with all my heart, and am really proud of what we've been able to achieve with my next episode."

Dawson added: "I started watching Doctor Who with my grandma when I was 10 years old in the 1990s. From writing fan fiction for an audience of one to scripting the best TV show of all time is truly a dream come true.

"I can't wait for fans and newcomers to see the new season."

Ellams said: "For as long as I can remember television, I've been a Doctor Who fan. I started watching when I was 10 in Nigeria. The show invited me to dream, to live beyond my reality.

"Getting to write for the show felt like touching God; it was blasphemously humbling and exciting, and I can’t wait to share my story with the world."

Angel-Walfall said: "I am buzzing to be a part of such an iconic show! I am a massive Russell T Davies fan, so it is a dream come true to be able to work alongside him, especially on a show that I love.

"It’s a real privilege to be a part of the Doctor Who family. I have loved every minute!"

What could Doctor Who season 15 be about?

While plot details are currently thin on the ground, we can speculate based on the tidbits of news that have emerged, and based on the new trailer.

The trailer shows Ruby Sunday joining UNIT, and we're shown a new look at Mrs Flood (Anita Dobson) with opera glasses.

The new footage also hints at the return of the villainous Pantheon of Discord, with the Doctor warning of "forces beyond this universe" playing "deadly" games, with a cartoon - now known to be Mr Ring-a-Ding - shown climbing out of a screen at the cinema.

It seems likely that the Doctor will meet Varada Sethu's companion at the start of season 15, after a one-off adventure with Nicola Coughlan's character in the Christmas special, before reuniting with Ruby midway through the season, in a similar fashion to his storyline with Donna and Martha in season 4.

Season 15 will also likely see questions answered surrounding the mysterious Mrs Flood, and whether further threats await from the Pantheon of Discord.

We know that Ayling-Ellis's episode will be "terrifying", so season 15 could take a slightly darker turn.

The final episode of season 14, Empire of Death, saw the Doctor defeat Sutekh, who seemingly perished for good. He and Ruby then used DNA tracking from 2046 to find Ruby's mum, who turned out to be an ordinary woman, a nurse who, when she was a teenager, left Ruby for fear she couldn't protect her from her step-father, who was "trouble".

Armed with this knowledge, Ruby and the Doctor tracked down her mother, and she introduced herself. As they started bonding, forming a family unit with Carla and Cherry, and searching for Ruby's father William, the Doctor realised she would have to stay behind.

The two bid a tearful farewell and the Doctor went off on his own - however, Russell T Davies has already teased that the story of Ruby Sunday, and her new family unit, will continue.

Is there a trailer for Doctor Who season 15?

Yes! Check out the teaser trailer for Doctor Who season 15 below:

Meanwhile, you can watch two full-length trailers for season 15 right here.

And here.

Doctor Who season 15 will be released on 12th April 2025, coming to BBC iPlayer at 8am and later that day on BBC One.

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