The long-rumoured Doctor Who spin-off, The War Between the Land and the Sea, is set to start filming in September, it's been reported.

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In January 2023, showrunner Russell T Davies confirmed that spin-offs were part of his plan upon his return to Doctor Who, with reports suggesting the first one will focus on the Sea Devils, the iconic monsters who first faced Jon Pertwee's Third Doctor and returned in 2022 in a special with Jodie Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor.

Deadline has now reported that "shooting will commence in September" on the long-awaited show.

The BBC declined to comment when contacted by RadioTimes.com.

While the broadcaster hasn't confirmed any details about the rumoured spin-off, fans picked up on a clue in the season 14 episode 73 Yards.

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Russell T Davies in a navy jacket smiling into camera
Russell T Davies. BBC

The opening scenes of the widely-loved episode saw the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) delighted to have landed the TARDIS in Wales.

When companion Ruby (Millie Gibson) asked how he can be so certain as to their location, he replied, "That smell, that green, that coastline...

"Ruby, oh... the rocks and the water, it never ends – the war between the land and the sea."

In January 2024, an entry on the website Production List – which posts announcements of new TV and film projects in pre-production – suggested that a Doctor Who spin-off, titled The War Between the Land and the Sea, was in development.
Showrunner Davies has also kept tight-lipped on any rumours, only revealing that "there are offices that exist now" for the development of new shows within the Whoniverse.

He previously said of his return to Doctor Who: "I thought – with no criticism whatsoever towards the people who were running it at the time, because they were running it within the BBC's measures – it was time for the next stage for Doctor Who.

"I thought the streaming platforms are ready, the spin-offs are ready; I always believed in spin-offs when I was there. I did Torchwood as a spin-off, The Sarah Jane Adventures as a spin-off.

"Those spin-offs declined when I left, and I can see why. And I very much left after 2008, when the money became scarce. I think that's fair enough for the public service broadcaster that the money is spent on other things."

Doctor Who will return at Christmas on BBC iPlayer and BBC One. Previous seasons are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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