Doctor Who is British.
Doctor Who is a British science-fiction television programme produced by the BBC since 1963 . Doctor Who has also spawned numerous spin-offs , including comic books , films , novels , audio dramas , and the television series Torchwood ( 2006 -- 2011 ) , The Sarah Jane Adventures ( 2007 -- 2011 ) , K-9 ( 2009 -- 2010 ) , and Class '' ( 2016-present ) , and has been the subject of many parodies and references in popular culture . Doctor Who , also referred to as Doctor Who : The Movie to distinguish it from the television series of the same name , is a British-American-Canadian television film continuing the British science fiction television series Doctor Who . `` The Time of the Doctor '' is an episode of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who , written by Steven Moffat and directed by Jamie Payne , and was broadcast as the ninth Doctor Who Christmas special on 25 December 2013 on BBC One . The Time Lords are a fictional , ancient extraterrestrial people in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who , of which the series ' protagonist , the Doctor , is a member .