‘Doctor Who’ Might Be Amazon-Bound as Prime Video Execs Leave the Door Wide Open

‘Doctor Who‘ has bounced between streaming homes more than most long-running franchises, with its international distribution rights shifting hands as different platforms have taken turns backing the BBC’s flagship sci-fi series. That instability has only grown more pronounced since Disney+ exited its deal with BBC Studios after just two seasons and the spin-off ‘The War Between Land and Sea,’ a partnership that reportedly struggled with high per-episode costs and disappointing ratings.

With the show’s future distribution still very much up in the air, industry watchers have been paying close attention to any hint about who might step in next. That question came up directly this week at the Edinburgh TV Festival, where Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios executives found themselves fielding it in real time.

According to Deadline, Prime Video’s UK Senior Commissioner for Scripted, Oliver Jones, responded to the Doctor Who question by saying he loves the show and that Prime Video welcomes any conversations around the IP. Deadline noted there’s no indication Prime Video is actively exploring a deal for the series, though several people at the festival reportedly came away feeling the idea hadn’t been dismissed outright.

Jones’ comments landed during a particularly active week for Prime Video’s UK originals slate. The streamer recently announced a documentary series centered on Formula 1 driver Lando Norris, another following Peter Crouch and Abby Clancy, a Stephen King-inspired drama titled ‘Crouch End,’ and casting news for Season 3 of ‘LOL: Last One Laughing UK.’

Nicole Clemens, Amazon MGM Studios’ London-based VP of International Originals, used the same appearance to emphasize that investment in British content is increasing across the board, and that commissioning decisions for the UK now rest with her team locally rather than being routed through the U.S. Jones, a former Apple executive who recently rejoined Amazon, also laid out a broader programming wish list, describing a desire for broadly commercial shows that still carry a clear sense of authorship.

Prime Video wasn’t the only platform pressed on the topic at the festival. Netflix executives reportedly received the same question and responded in a similarly noncommittal way, suggesting streamers are eager to signal interest without formally entering a bidding process that doesn’t officially exist yet.

That’s largely because the BBC announced back in June that it would open the rights to ‘Doctor Who’ up to competitive tender, allowing production companies to pitch for the opportunity to make the series going forward. That tender process reportedly hasn’t opened yet, and no firm timeline has been set, with some insiders suggesting the show may not return to screens until 2028 at the earliest.

Given how much uncertainty still surrounds the show’s next chapter, comments like Jones’ are likely to keep fueling speculation among fans hoping to see where ‘Doctor Who’ lands next. For now, all sides appear to be positioning themselves for a conversation that has yet to formally begin.

That positioning makes sense given the stakes involved. Whichever platform ultimately lands international rights to ‘Doctor Who’ would gain access to one of British television’s most enduring and recognizable franchises, one with a built-in global fanbase that’s followed the show across multiple streaming homes over the past decade. With the BBC’s tender process still not officially underway, though, any real movement on a new deal likely remains months away at the earliest.

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