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Ncuti Gatwa is the new Doctor Who star

Sex Education actor to succeed Jodie Whittaker as The Doctor in 2023.

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The BBC has announced actor Ncuti Gatwa is the next star of Doctor Who.

He will succeed Jodie Whittaker in the role of The Doctor, under returning showrunner Russell T. Davies in 2023. He becomes the first black actor to play the role on a full-time basis.

The Rwandan-Scottish actor is best known for his role as Eric Effiong on Sex Education for which he was awarded Best Actor Award at the Scottish BAFTA’s in 2020.

Ncuti said: “There aren’t quite the words to describe how I’m feeling. A mix of deeply honoured, beyond excited and of course a little bit scared. This role and show means so much to so many around the world, including myself, and each one of my incredibly talented predecessors has handled that unique responsibility and privilege with the utmost care.

“I will endeavour my upmost to do the same. Russell T. Davies is almost as iconic as the Doctor himself and being able to work with him is a dream come true. His writing is dynamic, exciting, incredibly intelligent and fizzing with danger. An actor’s metaphorical playground. The entire team have been so welcoming and truly give their hearts to the show. And so as much as it’s daunting, I’m aware I’m joining a really supportive family.

“Unlike the Doctor, I may only have one heart but I am giving it all to this show.”

Russell T. Davies, Showrunner said, “The future is here and it’s Ncuti! Sometimes talent walks through the door and it’s so bright and bold and brilliant, I just stand back in awe and thank my lucky stars. Ncuti dazzled us, seized hold of the Doctor and owned those TARDIS keys in seconds. It’s an honour to work with him, and a hoot, I can’t wait to get started. I’m sure you’re dying to know more, but we’re rationing ourselves for now, with the wonderful Jodie’s epic finale yet to come. But I promise you, 2023 will be spectacular!”

Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer said: “Ncuti has an incredible dynamism, he’s a striking and fearless young actor whose talent and energy will set the world alight and take Doctor Who on extraordinary adventures under Russell T. Davies’ new era.”

Gatwa also features in Barbie starring Margot Robbie to be released in 2023.

11 Responses

  1. I will be interested to see what the general commentary will be from Dr. Who fans who are not shy speaking their minds, as the decision to cast Ncuti Gatwa does look very BBC and dare I say is also a defiant message to activist Dr. Who detractors (especially those in the USA regarding Dr. Who on BBC America) from Russell T. Davis. This new season when it arrives needs to be a ratings success or I suspect it definitely will be the last regeneration of ‘The Doctor’ for quite some time.

  3. So excited for this casting. I think if they had gone back to a white bloke, it would have been conceding defeat to those who howled disapproval at a female Doctor. This is a character who has regenerated their whole body many times over so I hope the chorus of approval will drown out any prehistoric armchair critics.
    All that said, I was hoping they’d keep it a secret until the regeneration happened in the actual episode. Wouldn’t that have been a thrill! Maybe next time.

  4. Thrilled they’ve gone with some young blood. Not so thrilled this is the first *significantly younger* Doctor than I. Really excited that Ncuti is the first Doctor I’m going to come to where I’ve honestly seen precisely none of his back catalogue. That said, I’m aware of ‘Sex Education’, I just haven’t taken the time to sit and watch it. I might between now and … whenever his TARDIS materialises.

    I think now I’m officially excited for RTD 2.0

    1. The age thing happens to all of us eventually, have to remember that when Matt Smith was cast in 2010 he was 26 years old. So still the youngest as Ncuti Gatwa turns 30 in October, so same age as Peter Davison when he started in 1981 (and 5 years younger than Jodie Whittaker when she started in 2017).

      Looking forward to this portrayal myself and same don’t know Ncuti at either, which makes it even more exciting, that he also won a in 2020 for Performance of the Year for his role in Sex Education, makes think we may be in for something special (depending on how Russell T. Davies runs it).

      2. What I was getting at is that Jodie Whittaker, myself and Matt Smith are all the same age, so it was more a comment on how “age” is relative.

        1. Yeah pretty much how I took it and said “The age thing happens to all of us eventually,” and pointed those out as at some point they would have to others as well. So was bit more of a I understand and pointed the others out more to say it happens to some sooner or later. Like me having Barrack Obama (2009 in) and Julia Gillard (2010 in) as President and Prime Minister at the same age as me felt like a sudden shift, so understand the feeling is more what I meant.

  5. Always thought Rhys Derby or David Mitchell would have been perfect for the next Doctor Who.
    Just the right mix of quirkiness and eccentricity..

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