What time are new episodes of Doctor Who released? Release schedule

But things kick off this week with season opener The Robot Revolution, which will introduce a new companion for the Doctor in the form of Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu), who has been teased as a formidable personality unafraid to challenge the Time Lord.

Of course, in previous years the Doctor Who broadcast schedule was relatively easy to follow, but that changed last season when episodes began streaming on BBC iPlayer ahead of their debuts on linear TV.

With that in mind, you might be wondering what time new episodes of the show will be released – read on for everything you need to know, including a full release schedule for the season.

When is Doctor Who season 15 episode 1, The Robot Revolution, out?

The first episode of the season arrives on Saturday 12th April – and will be available to stream on BBC iPlayer from 8am in the morning before airing on BBC One at 6:50pm the same evening.

This represents a slight change from last year's pattern, when episodes arrived on BBC iPlayer at midnight – so this time around fans won't have to stay up late on Friday evenings to see the episodes as soon as possible.

This plan will be in place for the rest of the season, so episodes will always arrive at 8am on Saturday mornings before their broadcast that evening – although the exact BBC One start time may fluctuate slightly over the course of the run.

The synopsis for The Robot Revolution reads: "When robots from outer space kidnap nurse Belinda Chandra, the Doctor embarks on an epic intergalactic quest to get his new friend back home to Earth."

Doctor Who episode 15 release schedule: When are new episodes out?

With the season set to get under way, you can find a full schedule for when all eight instalments will arrive – complete with the episode titles – below:

• Episode 1 – The Robot Revolution – Saturday 12th April 2025
• Episode 2 – Lux – Saturday 19th April 2025
• Episode 3 – The Well – Saturday 26th April 2025
• Episode 4 – Lucky Day – Saturday 3rd May 2025
• Episode 5 – The Story & the Engine – Saturday 10th May 2025
• Episode 6 – The Interstellar Song Contest –Saturday 17th May 2025
• Episode 7 – Wish World – Saturday 24th May 2025
• Episode 8 – The Reality War – Saturday 31st May 2025

What time are Doctor Who season 15 episodes out on BBC iPlayer?

As mentioned above, new episodes will arrive on BBC iPlayer at 8am on Saturday mornings throughout the season – as opposed to last year's launch at midnight.

Once again the episodes will debut simultaneously on Disney+ in other territories – if you live overseas you can find the exact times below:

• 8am, BST (British Summer Time) – BBC iPlayer
• 12am, PT (Pacific Time) – Disney+
• 3am, ET (Eastern Time) – Disney+

How many episodes are in Doctor Who season 15?

There will be eight episodes in total in Doctor Who season 15, with the titles, writers and directors already having been announced for each.

You can find a full list here:

1. The Robot Revolution - Writer: Russell T Davies. Director: Peter Hoar.
2. Lux - Writer: Russell T Davies. Director: Amanda Brotchie.
3. The Well - Writer: Russell T Davies & Sharma Angel Walfall. Director: Amanda Brotchie.
4. Lucky Day - Writer: Pete McTighe. Director: Peter Hoar.
5. The Story & the Engine - Writer: Inua Ellams. Director: Makalla McPherson.
6. The Interstellar Song Contest - Writers: Juno Dawson. Director: Ben A. Williams.
7. Wish World - Writer: Russell T Davies. Director: Alex Sanjiv Pillai.
8. The Reality War - Writer: Russell T Davies. Director: Alex Sanjiv Pillai.

Doctor Who season 15 begins on 12th April 2025, coming to BBC iPlayer at 8am and airing at 6:50pm on BBC One.

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