Showbiz world reacts as new Doctor Who is revealed
Newly-announced Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa has said he has known since February that he would be taking over the role from Jodie Whittaker and revealed it has been “tricky” keeping the news to himself.
Speaking to BBC News on the red carpet at the TV Baftas, the Sex Education star said: “I’ve known since about February, (it’s) been tricky trying to keep this under wraps because I’ve got a very big mouth, but yeah, we did it.
“It feels really amazing and it’s a true honour, this role is an institution and it’s so iconic and it means a lot to so many people including myself and so it makes everyone feel seen as well, it’s something everyone can enjoy so I feel very grateful to have had the baton handed over and I’m going to try do my best.”
"It's been emotional!" Ncuti Gatwa is feeling the love after his Doctor Who news was revealed 😍 #VirginMediaBAFTAs pic.twitter.com/LcI1cP7UO6
— BAFTA (@BAFTA) May 8, 2022
Incoming show frontrunner Russell T Davies, who returns next year, said Gatwa’s talent had landed him the role, adding: “It was the most blazing audition, it was our last audition, it was the very last one, we thought we had someone and then in he came and stole it!
Asked about his own vision for the show, Davies said he wanted to allow Jodie Whittaker to complete her tenure as the Doctor before revealing more.
He said: “Lovely Jodie Whittaker, who I adore, I spoke to her yesterday. We phoned her yesterday to tell her about Ncuti. She is still the Doctor.
“She has got an enormous finale, an epic finale, a 90-minute finale in October. So we are polite gentlemen. It is only right and fair to shut up. 2023 you will be fed up of us. We will be ready by then. Until then we bow to Jodie. We love her.”
Scottish actress Karen Gillan, who previously starred as the 11th Doctor’s companion, Amy Pond, shared her excitement at the casting in a tweet, writing: “We have a new doctor!!!!!”.
Incoming Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has shared a selfie of himself on Instagram at the Virgin Media Bafta TV awards alongside the newly-announced Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa.
Scotland’s Culture Secretary has congratulated Ncuti Gatwa after he was announced as the new Doctor. Angus Robertson said on Twitter: “Congratulations to Ncuti Gatwa on becoming the new Dr Who. Great to see success of this young Scottish acting talent and graduate of Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.”
Gatwa came to Scotland from Rwanda at a young age and was educated in Fife and Edinburgh before attending the Royal Conservatoire in Glasgow.
In a video shared by the official Bafta account on Twitter, Ncuti Gatwa said: “I’m quite good, I don’t like to spoil things for others. If I know someone is going to watch something I won’t say nothing, I won’t talk about, I’ll let them watch it by themselves.”
No spoilers are going to be dripping out of Ncuti Gatwa's TARDIS 🤫 pic.twitter.com/JlVSexg1fb
— BAFTA (@BAFTA) May 8, 2022
The actor and newly-announced Doctor for the BBC’s popular series Doctor Who, is nominated in the best male performance in a comedy programme at the Virgin Media Bafta TV awards being held on May 8.
It’s A Sin star Olly Alexander, who was among the names touted to be in the running to play the Doctor, tweeted: “NCUTIIIIIIII!!!! Amazing !!”.
Georgia Tennant, wife of former Doctor Who star David Tennant and daughter of Peter Davidson, who also played the Doctor, reacted to the news that Ncuti Gatwa will take over from Jodie Whittaker, tweeting: “Hello dad”.
Doctor Who’s showrunner, Russell T Davies, 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!”
Fizzing with danger
In a statement on the official Doctor Who website, 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.”
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Cool. I don’t know his work, but look forward to seeing what he can do. Also having the first non-white doctor seems not before time and I must admit I am looking forward to reading the usual whining on social media from under the usual rocks.
I wholeheartedly agree that representation matters. Do you think we will ever see a Welsh actor / actress playing the Doctor, rather than the usual English / Scots carve-up?
Correction first non-white doctor in a lead role. There was that lady as another version of the doctor about 2 seasons back
No buddy, representation doesn’t apply to indigenous/native minorities for some reason.
Careful there, Eifion – you’ll have the Thought Police at your door any minute with that kind of silliness! Steadyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!
Someone has an Orwellian internal narrative. In this country there are no thought police. Hate hour is delivered daily by the unionist media
I was just thinking about Welsh. Ethnically I have no problem where their family came from. I would be perfectly happy for the Doctor to be played by an Asian transwoman. Just be nice if she was from Bangor or Swansea.
I mean it stretches credulity that a regenerating space alien would always choose to be a white English or Scottish man. That’s just ridiculous.
Let’s hope he’s better than the actress he’s going to replace, gave up watching Dr Who after the first couple of episodes she was in, dreadful.
No idea what he’s like as an actor, don’t think Dr Who could survive another sub par reincarnation, but this was possibly due to the previous director.
I thought the series directed by Russell T Davies were excellent, fingers crossed it will return to those standards.
Dr. Who will now see people turning away in droves, precisely because it has been politicised by the completely fabricated ‘emergency‘ issue of ‘race‘.
Goodbye, old Who!
^^^ Yep. Exactly the whining I was looking forward to seeing. Go on. Say it. You know you want to. “Wokeism Gorn maaad” 😆😆😆😆😆
Indeed, “wokeism gawn maaaad, mun!”
It becomes tiring, as do its defenders.
Really? I thought she was brilliant. I mean David Tennant set a really high bar and admittedly the stories suffered when RTD left the first time around, but Jodie Whittaker was fantastic. She seemed to bring a lot more vulnerability to the role which made the peril more believable rather than “don’t worry the doctor has a plan. He will beep some pocket tool and the universe will be saved”
Can’t wait to be called racist for thinking he’s too young and unsuitable for the role
Don’t know how you feel about these things, but I am sick and tired of the BBC using every last opportunity to push its racial agenda. I am friends with a couple of people who work at the BBC in Cardiff, and they tell me that there are quotas for representing black people, and that no BBC news or drama production is allowed to be signed off without first having these boxes ticked. I am sick of sitting at home, trying to relax with the television programs that my license fee paid for, and instead just being carped at. 24/7… Read more »
😬😬😬😬😬😆😆😆😆😆😆😆
“I have friends in the bbc and they said …..”
Another one that only wants old white faces on TV. “Yea it must be so hard for all those RADA educated children of millionaires to get roles on BBC dramas, without “them ethnics” being given roles they don’t deserve because only the posh white kids get their roles on merit. Like Eton alum Bendydick Cumberbucket. Oooo We likes him don’t we Ethel?”
You miss the point – BBC is meant to be impartial, non-political, and has no remit to push certain political tendencies within society.
This is true for England too, but has even greater relevance to Wales, where we are bombarded with unionism alongside racialism.
What Wales needs is not more blackfaces, but its own media, and maybe even its own License Fee and channels.
You know its true, Cynan. Or are you an Anglo-Bot?
Oooh it’s coming thick and fast now. 😂😂😂
with russel t davis back at the helm dr who might be saved switched off as jodie was awful had been hoping david tennant would return but willing to give this new guy a chance my stepson the worlds no, 1 dr who fan says this guy is a good choice guess we will see
Oh come on Jodie was great. The stories weren’t up to much but she was awesome
Still not ginger.