Over the years, Doctor Who has frequently been the subject of leaks, though that's perhaps an inevitability for any series with such a dedicated fanbase.
In the case of season 2, a mysterious insider known only as "Andrew" has shared early word on everything from Susan to the Rani, the Fifteenth Doctor's regeneration, and even Billie Piper's surprise debut as a character believed to be the Sixteenth Doctor.
Ncuti Gatwa's departure from Doctor Who shocked many fans; the Barbie star only took centre stage in two Christmas specials and a total of sixteen instalments following his introduction in the closing moments of the final 60th anniversary episode.
In the first eight chapters of Russell T Davies' latest revival, Gatwa's Hollywood commitments meant he played a noticeably smaller role in some episodes. As a result, it's hard to shake the feeling that he never got to show his full potential as the Doctor, giving his stint in the TARDIS a somewhat truncated feel to it.
As we first reported on SFFGazette.com, "Andrew" has provided some insights into what led to Gatwa's departure from the long-running sci-fi series.
"He decided to jump ship and move on once it became clear Disney weren’t going to renew any time soon, and he didn’t want to stay tied to Dr Who when production on Season 3, if it does happen, is still some way off," the leaker explains. "Hence why they filmed his regeneration earlier in the year."
"If Ncuti’s first season had been such a ratings success, Disney would have wanted to snap him for Season 3 much sooner, when RTD was clearly expecting them to, 8:49 so he wouldn’t leave," they conclude.
This lines up with much of what we've heard from both the trades and tabloids. Doctor Who hasn't been the runaway success on streaming that Disney+ expected, and ratings on the BBC have also dipped.
That's made it less of a worthwhile investment for the streamer, and season 3—with or without Disney+'s involvement—still hasn't been confirmed. If the BBC decides to move forward with more episodes, a budget cut is inevitable, and Davies could be out as showrunner given Doctor Who's recent struggles. What that means for Piper is unclear, though the credits crucially didn't introduce her as "The Doctor."
There's still one more series to come out of the BBC's deal with Disney+: The War Between the Land and the Sea. You can watch the trailer below, though that isn't expected to feature any version of the Time Lord.