BBC boss: Ncuti Gatwa will “set the world alight” in Doctor Who
The BBC’s Chief Content Officer Charlotte Moore has described how she believes Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa will “set the world alight” when he takes over as the star of Doctor Who later in 2023.
Gatwa, who made his name internationally playing Eric Effiong on Netflix teen drama Sex Education, was announced as the new Doctor Who lead actor in 2022 and is set to make his first appearance in a full episode as the lead around the festive season of 2023. He will then play the Fifteenth Doctor opposite new companion Ruby Sunday, played by former Corrie star Millie Gibson, for season 14 which is expected to play out in 2024.
“Ncuti has an incredible dynamism. He’s a striking and fearless actor whose talent and energy are boundless.” she told Radio Times.
Added Moore: “”From what I’ve seen so far – no spoilers – he’s going to set the world alight and take Doctor Who on extraordinary adventures when he takes charge of the TARDIS.”
The comments mirror those of showrunner Russell T Davies who had nothing but praise for Ncuti and Millie when asked about the new season.
In November 2023 there will be three 60th anniversary special episodes of Doctor Who starring David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor. He will be accompanied by a number of guests including Catherine Tate as Donna Noble, Neil Patrick Harris and Yasmin Finney as a character called Rose.
Although it is expected that Gatwa will appear in these specials, his first full episode as the lead will be reserved for a Christmas special in 2023.
The episodes of this year will be the first to be made as part of a new deal between the BBca nd Disney that sees Disney+ become the global streaming home of Doctor Who outside of the UK.
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