BBC breaks silence as beloved show faces shock axe reports
The BBC has addressed reports that Doctor Who is coming to an end. Amid ongoing speculation that Ncuti Gatwa is planning to leave the series, a spokesperson addressed the show's future, telling The Mirror: "This story is incorrect, Doctor Who has not been shelved.
"As we have previously stated, the decision on season 3 will be made after season 2 airs. The deal with Disney+ was for 26 episodes - and exactly half of those still have to transmit. And as for the rest, we never comment on the Doctor and future storylines."
While Whovians can rest assured that the Doctor is safe, whether or not Ncuti intends to reprise the role remains to be seen. After making a splash in season one of the Disney+ franchise, Ncuti, 32, has been busier than ever.
After filming 13 new episodes for season two of Doctor Who, the actor has also appeared in the National Theatre's production of The Importance of Being Earnest (2025) and entered the post-production phase on The Roses – a reimagining of the 1989 classic starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner.
According to Deadline, Ncuti will appear alongside Olivia Colman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Sunita Mani and Zoë Chao in the upcoming movie, which is yet to receive a release date.
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Ncuti's future on Doctor Who may be uncertain, but he is confirmed to return in a second instalment. Slated to premiere in 2025, the show will introduce fans to Varada Sethu, who is playing the Doctor's new assistant, Belinda Chandra. Meanwhile, Millie Gibson will reprise her role as Ruby Sunday.
Alongside a teaser trailer, Disney+ has shared an official synopsis for the series. It explains: "The Doctor meets Belinda Chandra and begins an epic quest to get her back to Earth. But a mysterious force is stopping their return and the time-traveling TARDIS team must face great dangers, bigger enemies and wider terrors than ever before."
Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has also hinted at what's to come. Appearing on The One Show in December, he said: "It's coming, it's sensational, there's a lot of scares, there's a planet in the far future that's absolutely terrifying. There's a trip to Miami. It's very, very, very good and it's coming sooner than you think."
As for Ncuti and his co-stars, the cast has yet to share photos from the set, but we have spotted them at high-profile events. Making a joint appearance at Netflix's BAFTA afterparty, Ncuti and Belinda later headed to Tramp Nightclub in Mayfair on February 16. Sharing a photo from the festivities, Ncuti captioned it: "Mum and Dad's night out... and WHAT a night."
