The Exciting Way Doctor Who Just Made History With Its New Doctor Reveal
Beginning in 1963, the BBC series "Doctor Who" has definitely made its mark on television and pop culture as one of the longest-running science fiction shows in the world. With a constantly-regenerating main character called the Doctor, the show is able to replace the lead every few years, which has led to an ever-changing cast of great actors. In the early years, this included people like William Hartnell and Sylvester McCoy, while the modern iteration of "Doctor Who" has showcased the talents of David Tennant, Matt Smith, and more.
As a series known for its innovative storytelling, it makes sense that, in recent years, many fans called for the show to become more diverse. After Peter Capaldi was announced to be leaving "Doctor Who" in 2017, fans made it clear that they hoped the BBC would cast a woman or person of color in the role of the next Doctor (via The Guardian). In response, BBC announced that Jodie Whittaker would be the new Doctor. She's clearly become a fan favorite, with Whittaker even winning a fan-voted TV Insider poll on who people think is the best Doctor.
Now, Whittaker's time in "Doctor Who" is at an end, as Season 13 will be her last as the lead. With this news, the same age-old question returns: who will be the next Doctor? While there were many viable candidates for the role, BBC just announced the new casting, and "Doctor Who" will be making history once again.
Ncuti Gatwa is the new Doctor
As revealed in a tweet from the official BBC Twitter page, Ncuti Gatwa has been named the new Doctor of "Doctor Who." Although this announcement is exciting on its own, Gatwa's casting as the Fourteenth Doctor also makes history for the show, as he will be the first Black actor to lead "Doctor Who." He will also be one of the youngest actors to take on the role at 29 years old, though he's beat by Matt Smith, who was amazingly only 26 at the time that he was cast (via The Guardian). As for what the new star has to say about his casting, it's not much yet, but Gatwa posted a photo of two hearts, a plus sign, and a blue square on his Instagram, a cryptic message that matches up with what returning showrunner Russell T. Davies and the BBC have posted. In an official statement shared on the official Doctor Who page, Gatwa expressed his overwhelming excitement to tackle this iconic role and went on to say, "Unlike the Doctor, I may only have one heart but I am giving it all to this show."
If Gatwa's face looks familiar, you've probably seen him in Netflix's hit series "Sex Education," as he plays the character Eric Effiong, who is the best friend of main character Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield). Aside from this role, he has only appeared in a few projects, including the 2015 miniseries "Stonemouth" and the 2021 film "The Last Letter from Your Lover." Aside from "Doctor Who," he will also be appearing in the upcoming "Barbie" movie starring Margot Robbie (via IMDb). It looks like fans will just have to wait and see exactly what Gatwa brings to the table in his new role in "Doctor Who."