Ncuti Gatwa Announced as the New Star of Doctor Who

Sex Education actor Ncuti Gatwa will be the new Time Lord for the science fiction TV series Doctor Who, the BBC has announced this afternoon.The 29-year-old actor will become the 14th Doctor on the popular BBC show after the current Doctor, Jodie Whittaker, announced last July she would be leaving the role.He will be the first black male actor to play the lead role full time. In 2020, Jo Martin made a guest appearance as a previously unknown version of the Doctor hiding on Earth disguised as a human tour guide.Gatwa, a Scottish-Rwandan actor, is most well known for his role as Eric Effiong on the Netflix show Sex Education.

The show is about the socially awkward high school student Otis (Asa Butterfield) and his sex therapist mother Jean (Gillian Anderson).Russell T Davies has been announced to return for the next series of Doctor Who as the new showrunner.

Davies was the original showrunner for the 21st-century revival from 2005 to 2009. In an official statement, Gatwa revealed his feelings on landing the Time Lord role: "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."He continued: "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.

"On casting Gatwa as the next Doctor, 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."Whittaker's Doctor will be seen in one more episode, expected to air in autumn this year to coincide with the centenary of the BBC. She was the first female Doctor. Gatwa is expected to make his debut as the Doctor in 2023.