Doctor Who: Unleashed
{{Short description|British documentary series (2023–present)}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Doctor Who Unleashed.png
| genre = Documentary
| based_on = {{Based on|Doctor Who|Sydney Newman,|C. E. Webber,|and Donald Wilson}}
| director = Jonathon Aiken
| presenter = Steffan Powell
| theme_music_composer = Ron Grainer
| opentheme = Doctor Who theme music
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| executive_producer = Jo Pearce
| runtime = {{Plainlist|
- 28–30 minutes (regular)
- 10–59 minutes (specials)
}}
| company = {{unbulleted list
| Bright Branch Media
}}
| num_series = 2
| num_episodes = 24
| network = {{Plainlist|
}}
| first_aired = {{Start date|2023|11|17|df=y}}
| last_aired = present
| related = {{Plainlist|
}}
}}
Doctor Who: Unleashed is a documentary series created by the BBC to complement episodes of Doctor Who from 2023 onwards. It is hosted by former Newsbeat presenter Steffan Powell, and is similar to the former documentary series Doctor Who Confidential (2005–2011).
Unleashed first accompanied the 60th anniversary specials, as well as following specials and episodes of the fourteenth and fifteenth series. Episodes of Unleashed, each spanning 30 minutes, are released after the initial release of each Doctor Who episode.
Production
In April 2023, it was reported that a series similar to Doctor Who Confidential would premiere alongside the 60th anniversary specials of the main show. Following this at a GalaxyCon event, David Tennant made references to a behind-the-scenes crew on the set of the specials, stating that "it was all filmed by all the various Doctor Who Confidential-style people, so you'll see all that. But it was very exciting for us, for them to visit us on set."{{Cite web |last=Craig |first=David |date=2023-04-12 |title=David Tennant confirms return of Doctor Who Confidential-style show |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/david-tennant-doctor-who-confidential-newsupdate/ |access-date=2023-09-27 |website=Radio Times |language=en-GB}}
On 27 September 2023, Unleashed was officially announced, and was set to air on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer in 30 minute episodes, presented on set by former Newsbeat presenter Steffan Powell in contrast to the fly on the wall style of Confidential.{{Cite web |last=Harp |first=Justin |date=2023-09-27 |title=Doctor Who confirms spin-off show return |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a45342388/doctor-who-spin-off-unleashed/ |access-date=2023-09-27 |website=Digital Spy |language=en-GB}}
On 22 June 2024, it was announced that Unleashed would return in 2025 for the fifteenth series of Doctor Who.{{cite episode | title = Unseen | series = Doctor Who: Unleashed |series-no=14 | number = 9 | credits = Steffan Powell (presenter), Jonathon Aiken (director) | network = BBC | station = BBC Three and BBC iPlayer | airdate = 22 June 2024 }} For series 15, episodes were simultaneously released on the Doctor Who YouTube channel for international audiences alongside their iPlayer release.{{cite tweet|number=1910694495102157182|title=UNLEASHED on the whole world! 📽️ You can now go further behind-the-scenes than ever before, watch #DoctorWho: Unleashed weekly on BBC iPlayer in the UK and on the Doctor Who YouTube channel in the rest of the world 📺|date=11 April 2025|accessdate=12 April 2025|user=bbcdoctorwho}} A special hour-long episode of Unleashed documenting the 2005 revival process of Doctor Who, produced to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the revival, was released on 7 June 2025 on BBC iPlayer.{{cite web|url=https://gizmodo.com/doctor-who-20th-anniversary-documentary-russell-t-davies-2000584826|title=Doctor Who Will Celebrate Its Revival's Big Anniversary With a New Documentary|last=Whitbrook|first=James|date=3 April 2025|accessdate=3 April 2025|work=Gizmodo}}{{cite web|url=https://www.doctorwho.tv/news-and-features/special-episode-of-doctor-who-unleashed-announced-celebrating-20-years-of-revival|title=Special episode of Doctor Who: Unleashed announced celebrating 20 years of revival|date=16 May 2025|accessdate=17 May 2025|work=Doctor Who TV}}{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-karen-gillan-arthur-darvill-unleashed-newsupdate/|title=Doctor Who favourites Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill confirmed for Unleashed anniversary special|last=Hibbs|first=James|date=29 May 2025|accessdate=30 May 2025|work=Radio Times}}
Episodes
{{Series overview
| color0 = #342A52
| link0 = #Specials (2023)
| linkT0 = Specials
| episodes0 = hide
| episodes0A = {{abbr|Supp.|Supplemental}}
| released0A = {{Start date|2023|11|17|df=y}}
| network0A = BBC iPlayer / BBC Three
| episodes0B = 3
| start0B = {{Start date|2023|11|25|df=y}}
| end0B = {{End date|2023|12|9|df=y}}
| color1 = #2F4286
| link1 = #Series 1 (2024)
| episodes1 = hide
| episodes1A = Special
| released1A = {{Start date|2023|12|25|df=y}}
| episodes1B = 9
| start1B = {{Start date|2024|5|11|df=y}}
| end1B = {{End date|2024|6|22|df=y}}
| color2 = #1D121C
| link2 = #Series 2 (2025)
| episodes2 = hide
| episodes2A = Special
| released2A = {{Start date|2024|12|25|df=y}}
| episodes2B = 8
| start2B = {{Start date|2025|4|12|df=y}}
| end2B = {{End date|2025|5|31|df=y}}
| network2B = BBC iPlayer / BBC Three / YouTube
| episodes2C = Special
| released2C = {{Start date|2025|6|7|df=y}}
| network2C = BBC iPlayer / BBC Three
}}
= Specials (2023) =
{{see also|Doctor Who specials (2023)}}
{{Episode table |background=#342A52 |overall=5 |series=5 |title=35 |aux2=35 |airdate=20 |aux2T=Episode discussed |episodes=
{{Episode table/part|subtitle=Supplemental|c=#342A52}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 1
| EpisodeNumber2 = –
| Title = Children in Need
| Aux1 = "Destination: Skaro"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|11|17|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} David Tennant, Russell T Davies, Mawaan Rizwan, Vicki Delow, Scott Handcock, Barnaby Edwards
| LineColor = 342A52
}}
{{Episode table/part|subtitle=Specials|c=#342A52}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 2
| EpisodeNumber2 = 1
| Title = The Star Beast
| Aux1 = "The Star Beast"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|11|25|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} David Tennant, Catherine Tate, Russell T Davies, Yasmin Finney, Dave Gibbons, Pat Mills, Cecily Fay, Paul Kasey, Loren Clark, Elaine Morris, Gerard Moore, Brian Herring, Miriam Margolyes, Angharad Evans
| LineColor = 342A52
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 3
| EpisodeNumber2 = 2
| Title = Wild Blue Yonder
| Aux1 = "Wild Blue Yonder"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|12|2|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} David Tennant, Catherine Tate, Russell T Davies
| LineColor = 342A52
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 4
| EpisodeNumber2 = 3
| Title = The Giggle
| Aux1 = "The Giggle"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|12|9|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} David Tennant, Catherine Tate, Russell T Davies, Ruth Madeley, Neil Patrick Harris, Ncuti Gatwa
| LineColor = 342A52
}}
}}
= Series 1 (2024) =
{{see also|Doctor Who series 14}}
{{Episode table |background=#2F4286 |overall=5 |series=5 |title=35 |aux2=35 |airdate=20 |aux2T=Episode discussed |episodes=
{{Episode table/part|subtitle=Special|c=#2F4286}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 5
| EpisodeNumber2 = –
| Title = The Church on Ruby Road
| Aux1 = "The Church on Ruby Road"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|12|25|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, Russell T Davies, Davina McCall
| LineColor = 2F4286
}}
{{Episode table/part|subtitle=Series|c=#2F4286}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 6
| EpisodeNumber2 = 1
| Title = Space Babies
| Aux1 = "Space Babies"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|5|11|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, Russell T Davies, Robert Strange, Ellen Marsh
| LineColor = 2F4286
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 7
| EpisodeNumber2 = 2
| Title = The Devil's Chord
| Aux1 = "The Devil's Chord"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|5|11|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, Russell T Davies, Jinkx Monsoon, Murray Gold, Ben Chessell
| LineColor = 2F4286
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 8
| EpisodeNumber2 = 3
| Title = Boom
| Aux1 = "Boom"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|5|18|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, Russell T Davies, Steven Moffat, Varada Sethu
| LineColor = 2F4286
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 9
| EpisodeNumber2 = 4
| Title = 73 Yards
| Aux1 = "73 Yards"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|5|25|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, Russell T Davies, Aneurin Barnard, Vicki Delow, Dylan Holmes Williams
| LineColor = 2F4286
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 10
| EpisodeNumber2 = 5
| Title = Dot and Bubble
| Aux1 = "Dot and Bubble"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|6|1|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, Russell T Davies, Callie Cooke, Vicki Delow, Dylan Holmes Williams
| LineColor = 2F4286
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 11
| EpisodeNumber2 = 6
| Title = Rogue
| Aux1 = "Rogue"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|6|8|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, Russell T Davies, Kate Herron, Briony Redman, Jonathan Groff, Indira Varma, Pam Downe
| LineColor = 2F4286
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 12
| EpisodeNumber2 = 7
| Title = The Legend of Ruby Sunday
| Aux1 = "The Legend of Ruby Sunday"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|6|15|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, Russell T Davies, Yasmin Finney, Jemma Redgrave, Genesis Lynea, Lenny Rush, Susan Twist, Aidan Cook, Phil Sims, Jamie Donoughue
| LineColor = 2F4286
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 13
| EpisodeNumber2 = 8
| Title = Empire of Death
| Aux1 = "Empire of Death"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|6|22|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, Russell T Davies, Jamie Donoughue, Bonnie Langford, Anita Dobson, Angela Wynter, Gabriel Woolf, Joel Collins, Sebastian Barker
| LineColor = 2F4286
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 14
| EpisodeNumber2 = 9
| Title = Unseen
| Aux1 = Series 14
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|6|22|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} Scott Handcock, Phil Collinson, Julie Anne Robinson, Paul Joseph, Jessica Barfoot, Amol Rajan, Iwan Roberts, Shuaib Said, Kitty Carin-Boyd, Jackie Saundercock, Juliet Ireland
| LineColor = 2F4286
}}
}}
= Series 2 (2025) =
{{see also|Doctor Who series 15}}
{{Episode table |background=#1D121C |overall=5 |series=5 |title=35 |aux2=35 |airdate=20 |airdateR={{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001sx3r/broadcasts/upcoming |title=BBC One - Doctor Who: Unleashed - Next on |website=BBC |accessdate=29 May 2025}} |aux2T=Episode discussed |episodes=
{{Episode table/part|subtitle=Special|c=#1D121C}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 15
| EpisodeNumber2 = –
| Title = Joy to the World
| Aux1 = "Joy to the World"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|12|25|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} Ncuti Gatwa, Steven Moffat, Russell T Davies, Nicola Coughlan, Danny Hargreaves, Michael van Kesteren, Alex Sanjiv Pillai, Jonathan Aris, Neill Gorton
| LineColor = 1D121C
}}
{{Episode table/part|subtitle=Series|c=#1D121C}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 16
| EpisodeNumber2 = 1
| Title = The Robot Revolution
| Aux1 = "The Robot Revolution"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2025|4|12|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} Ncuti Gatwa, Varada Sethu, Russell T Davies, Jonny Green, Robert Strange, Stephen Love, Sharon King, Peter Hoar, Phil Sims, Danny Hargreaves
| LineColor = 1D121C
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 17
| EpisodeNumber2 = 2
| Title = Lux
| Aux1 = "Lux"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2025|4|19|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} Ncuti Gatwa, Russell T Davies, Varada Sethu, Ian Spendloff, Neil Boyle, Daniella Marsh, Jamie Talbutt, Louise Brown, Linus Roache, Amanda Brotchie, Ifan Lewis, Cassius Hackforth, Shuaib Said, Chris May, Anita Dobson
| LineColor = 1D121C
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 18
| EpisodeNumber2 = 3
| Title = The Well
| Aux1 = "The Well"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2025|4|26|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} Ncuti Gatwa, Rose Ayling-Ellis, Sarah Lawrence, Jess Gardner, Russell T Davies, Amanda Brotchie, Varada Sethu, Rhys Jones, Bethany Antonia, Caoilfhionn Dunne, Christopher Chung, Derek Lea, Paul Kasey, Chris May, Devante Fleming, Salma Salah, Beyagy Demba
| LineColor = 1D121C
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 19
| EpisodeNumber2 = 4
| Title = Lucky Day
| Aux1 = "Lucky Day"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2025|5|3|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} Millie Gibson, Russell T Davies, Ncuti Gatwa, Jonah Hauer-King, Pete McTighe, Peter Hoar, Michelle Victoria McGrath, Alex Moore, Jennifer Day, Ruth Madeley, Jemma Redgrave, Alex Jones, Evangeline Davies, Sarah MacLeod, Neill Gorton, Paul Kasey, Gethin Alderman
| LineColor = 1D121C
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 20
| EpisodeNumber2 = 5
| Title = The Story & the Engine
| Aux1 = "The Story & the Engine"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2025|5|10|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} Ncuti Gatwa, Inua Ellams, Russell T Davies, Varada Sethu, Sharon King, Taiye Omokore, Ephraim Onyegbule, Ariyon Bakare, Stefan Adegbola, Michael Balogun, Rhys Jones, Devante Fleming, Makalla McPherson, Vicki Delow, Rosey-Pepper Mortley, Jennifer Day, Llion Joshua, Sule Rimi, Jordan Adene, Jo Martin, Michelle Asante
| LineColor = 1D121C
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 21
| EpisodeNumber2 = 6
| Title = The Interstellar Song Contest
| Aux1 = "The Interstellar Song Contest"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2025|5|17|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} Russell T Davies, Juno Dawson, Graham Norton, Rylan Clark, Miriam-Teak Lee, Abdoul Razak Ceesay, Varada Sethu, Ncuti Gatwa, Ben A Williams, Anita Dobson, Geraint Harvard Jones, Jennifer Day, Carole Ann Ford, Erica McEwan, Kiruna Stamell, Molly Baldwin
| LineColor = 1D121C
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 22
| EpisodeNumber2 = 7
| Title = Wish World
| Aux1 = "Wish World"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2025|5|24|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} Russell T Davies, Ncuti Gatwa, Varada Sethu, Chris May, Phill Bull, Alex Sanjiv Pillai, Beyagy Demba, Steve Rees, Devante Fleming, Atilla Akinci, Brad Perry, Hattie Williams, Ralph Sansum, Sarah MacLeod, Sarah-Hoor Aboubakar, Moses Stringer-Ogundeji, Archie Panjabi, Anita Dobson, Julie Fernandez, Benjamin Black, Ruth Madeley, Molly Baldwin, Jemma Redgrave, Alexander Devrient, Phil Sims, Jennifer Day, Jack Murphy
| LineColor = 1D121C
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 23
| EpisodeNumber2 = 8
| Title = The Reality War
| Aux1 = "The Reality War"
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2025|5|31|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} Ncuti Gatwa, Sienna-Robyn Mavanga-Phipps, Varada Sethu, Alex Sanjiv Pillai, Jodie Whittaker, Millie Gibson, Jemma Redgrave, Ruth Madeley, Angharad Evans, Steph De Whalley, Jennifer Day, Devante Fleming, Russell T Davies, Michelle McGrath
| LineColor = 1D121C
}}
{{Episode table/part|subtitle=Special|c=#1D121C}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 24
| EpisodeNumber2 = –
| Title = 20 Years in Wales
| Aux1 = The revived era's 20th anniversary
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2025|6|7|df=y}}
| ShortSummary = {{Itcol|Interviewees}} Russell T Davies, Steven Moffat, Julie Gardner, Euros Lyn, Billie Piper, Edward Thomas, David Tennant, Arthur Darvill, Karen Gillan, Pearl Mackie, Chris Chibnall, Jodie Whittaker, Mandip Gill, Ray Holman, Ncuti Gatwa, Varada Sethu, Steffan Morris, Angharad Evans
| LineColor = 1D121C
}}
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|BBC}}
- {{BBC programme|m001sx3r}}
- {{YouTube|p=PLKEzuOOEQvYNSnFJsqkOh9Z5Y7I_HEy8M|title=Doctor Who: Unleashed}}
- {{IMDb title|21339170}}
- {{TardisIndexFile|Doctor Who: Unleashed|Doctor Who: Unleashed}}
{{Doctor Who}}
Category:2020s British documentary television series
Category:2023 British television series debuts
Category:British English-language television shows
Category:Works about Doctor Who