How to watch Doctor Who online

Here’s how to catch up with the legendary sci-fi series.

By James Hibbs

Published: Thursday, 23 November 2023 at 15:17 PM

The Doctor Who 60th-anniversary specials are just around the corner, with the first of the three episodes set to arrive later in November and reunite David Tennant and Catherine Tate.

Naturally, fans might be wondering how exactly they can catch up on previous episodes of the sci-fi series online.

Well, there’s good news on this front. To mark the show’s 60th anniversary, over 800 episodes of the classic series have become available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Doctor Who fans will also be pleased to learn that there are a whole host of spin-off available on the platform, making up what Russell T Davies is now officially dubbing the Whoniverse.

In a statement, Davies previously said: “I’d like to thank the BBC for all the hard work to get this massive back catalogue under one roof, at long last.

“I’m so excited for new viewers – imagine being eight years old, spending winter afternoons exploring the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s and beyond. And we’re determined this won’t be a dusty museum – we have exciting plans to bring the back catalogue to life, with much more to be revealed!”

Read on for everything you need to know about how to watch Doctor Who online.

Where can I watch Doctor Who online?

Jodie Whittaker as The Doctor in Doctor Who wearing a purple jumper and blue-grey jacket, with a man and the TARDIS blurred in the background
Jodie Whittaker as The Doctor in Doctor Who.
BBC Studios/James Pardon

While all 13 seasons of modern Doctor Who have been available on BBC iPlayer for some time, as of 1st November 2023 they have now been joined by a whole host of additional episodes from the classic series and the 1996 TV film.

While not quite every episode is available, there are more than 800 episodes of Doctor Who in total for fans to dive into – making for a substantial binge watch to celebrate the show’s 60th anniversary. You can find the full library here.

What new accessibility options are there?

Matt Smith stands in front of the TARDIS in Doctor Who
Matt Smith and the TARDIS in Doctor Who.
BBC

All the episodes of Doctor Who that are available on BBC iPlayer now have the following accessibility options:

  • Subtitles
  • Audio Description
  • Sign Language

Which other Whoniverse series are available on iPlayer?

The cast of The Sarah Jane Adventures.
The cast of The Sarah Jane Adventures.
BBC

As well as the classic and revival series of Doctor Who, there are also a host of spin-offs and additional material related to the show available on BBC iPlayer, under its new Whoniverse banner.

This includes Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures, Class and many more, including the newly released Tales of the Tardis.

Here’s a full list of the additional Whoniverse programmes available now:

  • Tales of the Tardis
  • K9 & Company: A Girl’s Best Friend
  • Doctor Who: Dreamland
  • Doctor Who: The Infinite Quest
  • The Sarah Jane Adventures
  • Torchwood
  • Class
  • Delia Derbyshire: The Myths and the Legendary Tapes
  • The Science of Doctor Who
  • Doctor Who at the Proms
  • Whose Doctor Who

Where else can I watch Doctor Who?

Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor in Doctor Who staring into camera
Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor in Doctor Who.
BBC One

As well as iPlayer, there are also other platforms online where viewers can watch Doctor Who. Fans can of course purchase both downloads and physical media of the episodes through sites such as Amazon Prime.

Meanwhile, Britbox also has episodes of classic Doctor Who in its archive of content – you can sign up for a 7-day free BritBox trial here.

Meanwhile viewers in the US can stream previous instalments of Doctor Who on Max, while upcoming episodes will stream exclusively on Disney Plus.

Where can I watch Doctor Who in the US?

Doctor Who fans in the US and Canada can now stream episodes of the classic series on Tubi – for free.

Over 600 episodes of Doctor Who are available, from the adventures of the first Doctor (William Hartnell), through Tom Baker’s stint as the fourth Time Lord, to the show’s seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy).