Jodie Whittaker, the first female ever to play Dr Who, announced she would be leaving the iconic BBC show last July after six years in the Tardis.
Speculation about who would be drafted in to replace her has been rife ever since. It’s been akin to guessing the next James Bond.
There were rumours of Michael Sheen, Michaela Coel and Lenny Henry, as well as whispers of David Tennant coming back to reprise his take on the Time Lord. The other big guesses were It’s a Sin actors Lydia West, Olly Alexander and Omari Douglas. Most likely because It’s a Sin writer, Russell T Davis, who was at the helm during Dr Who‘s revival in 2005, will be returning as showrunner in the next series.
However, none of these rumours was true.
Last night, the BBC announced that Ncuti Gatwa, who plays Eric in Netflix’s Sex Education, will play the 14th Dr Who.
The Scottish actor, who was born in Rwanda, told BBC News: ‘It feels really amazing. It’s a true honour. This role is an institution and it’s so iconic.’
The news was announced just as stars were hitting the red carpet for the 2022 TV Bafta Awards. Gatwa, who was nominated for Male Performance in a Comedy Performance for the third time for his role in the teen comedy, posed for a selfie with Davies.
When asked about the new Doctor, Davies told journalists that Gatwa had solidified the position following a ‘blazing’ audition. ‘It was our last audition. It was our very last one,’ Davies said. ‘We thought we had someone, and then in he came and stole it.’
Gatwa kicks off his new role in 2023.
