BBC Doctor Who's Ncuti Gatwa's future and when it's back on TV - everything you need to know
Doctor Who has been the topic of many a sci-fi fan’s conversations as rumours linger over whether or not Ncuti Gatwa plans on quitting the show.
If you are a long-time fan of the show, or perhaps a more recent follower, here is everything you need to know about when will it be back on our screens, who will be guest starring, and is Ncuti actually leaving the show? For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter
We've not seen the Timelord and the Tardis since Christmas Day, but there is a new series meant to be airing this spring. Let's find out what we know so far.
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When is it back on TV?
The BBC hasn't officially confirmed a release date yet but Doctor Who season 15 is expected to air in May 2025.
In an interview with the Big Issue in November 2023, Russell T Davies said: “If I sound a bit hyper, it’s because I just this morning delivered a Doctor Who script that will be on air in May 2025.”
“It’s brand new. It does things we’ve never done before. The writing really pushed me. It’s such a mad episode, I had to deliver it with a diagram explaining what’s going on! I’ve never had to do that in my entire life before.”
In October 2023, it was announced that filming had started on Ncuti Gatwa's second season of the show, having first appeared as the fifteenth doctor in 2023’s Christmas episode The Church on Ruby Road.
Russell T Davies announced that filming concluded on 26th May 2024, writing on Instagram: "That’s season 2 complete, well done everyone!"
Doctor Who season 15 will have eight episodes and they will air on BBC One and BBCiPlayer simultaneously and Disney Plus worldwide.
Who will guest star?
At the end of the last Christmas special, Joy to the World, which featured Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan, fans were lucky to see a teaser trailer for the new series.
Check out the teaser trailer released last month for Doctor Who season 15 here.
It was then later confirmed that Rose Ayling-Ellis MBE will be guest starring alongside Ncuti Gatwa in the next series.
The showrunner said to the BBC: “We always want guest actors on Doctor Who to have fun, but Rose takes it to a whole new level. She storms in with an astonishing performance of terror, anger and bravery in one of the most frightening episodes we’ve ever made.”
In response to her appearance in the new series, Rose Ayling-Ellis, said to the BBC: “I loved Doctor Who when I was growing up, so being cast in the show was a dream come true. My inner child is ecstatic with excitement!
“Working with Russell and filming alongside the talented cast and crew has been an incredible experience. Ncuti is a wonderful Doctor, and I can’t wait for audiences to see what we have created together.”
Ayling-Ellis, who won the 19th series of Strictly Come Dancing with Giovanni Pernice in 2021, also won the BAFTA TV Award for ‘Must-See Moment’ in 2022, for their dance to Clean Bandit’s song ‘Symphony’, where they paused the music for several seconds to highlight what it's like to dance as a deaf person. She was later awarded an MBE for voluntary services to the Deaf community in the 2024 Birthday Honours.
Who is the new companion?
Along with exciting new guest stars, fans will also see Varada Sethu star as Belinda Chandra, the doctor’s newest companion.
It seems likely that the Doctor will meet Varada Sethu's companion at the start of season 15, before reuniting with Millie Gibson’s character, Ruby Sunday, midway through the season.
Sethu made her Doctor Who debut as Mundy Flynn in a guest role in the episode written by Steven Moffat, Boom. Although, that is has been reported that her new character Belinda will be completely different as Davies and the team saw her performance, loved working with her, and decided to cast her again.
Speaking with SFX magazine Davies explained: "I think we might as well just be simple with this, because we’ve already said she’s not coming back as Mundy Flynn.
“I used to watch her thinking, 'God, what a shame we can’t work with her again.”
Davies continued: "I was thinking, 'Should we go back to the 51st century, could we meet her again?' and then I suddenly went, 'Oh, let’s just cast her again. We’ve done that before.
"So, she didn’t even have to audition. We then invited her to come in for a meeting, but she thought she was coming in to audition [laughs] and it was the other way round. It’s like we were auditioning. We were wanting her to like us so much that she’d want to come back!”
Upon being cast Sethu said in a statement: "I feel like the luckiest person in the world.
"It is such an honour to be a part of the Whoniverse, and I'm so grateful to the whole Doctor Who family – because that is what they are – for welcoming me with open arms and making me feel so at home.
"I couldn't ask for a better team than Ncuti [Gatwa] and Millie [Gibson] to be on this adventure with, this is SO much fun!"
Is Ncuti going to come back?
The Sun have reported that the Rwandan-Scottish actor is already believed to have filmed his regeneration exit scene, causing fear among crew who work on the show.
An insider told the Sun: “Ncuti doesn’t want to be tied to the series beyond this and plans to relocate to Los Angeles with several Hollywood projects standing by for him.
“His team also see a lot of fan backlash from the series, and don’t want the perception of him still being The Doctor to get in the way of any future work.
“As we scramble to find work, those responsible get to ride off on to other well-paid projects without any repercussions.”
They added: “The show has been poorly managed in recent years and there’s a lot of people who’ve been working on this show for years and now being cast aside due to poor leadership.
Gatwa previously confirmed he would be staying for at least two seasons of Doctor Who, telling Rolling Stone: "[Theatre] kept me warm and it held me all night, even if I was broke. But I’m planning on getting back to it next year, after I finish season two of Doctor Who."
In an article for the Standard, Commissioning Editor and Culture Writer, Vicky Jessop said: “Resignation letter or not, one thing is clear – the show is in trouble.
“Gatwa’s appointment has inevitably sparked some horrendous racist and homophobic trolling, which can’t have made things easy for him.
“He doesn’t exactly need the fame that the role brings; the opposite. His position as a buzzy, in demand actor gave the show a sprinkling of stardust it was sorely lacking.
“Onto bigger and better things – though the same might not be said for the show he leaves behind.”
Ncuti is yet to respond to claims that he has quit the show.
Is Doctor Who going to be cancelled?
Despite whispers that the future of the long-running show was uncertain, the BBC has assured Doctor Who fans that the sci-fi drama has not been cancelled. This follows an exclusive report from the Sun upon receiving inside information.
The insider said: “Normally shows this big begin pre-production work long in advance and often while a series is being shot. One would expect series three work to be happening now and for the production to be clear on who the Doctor will be.
“If the BBC cannot confirm a continuation of the Disney deal then it is a worrying sign. Perhaps Disney is waiting to see if the second series performs well, but it's hardly a sign of faith in the show.
“That delay will mean it is impossible to make a third series within the next year or even two if it gets the go-ahead.”
However, a spokesperson for Doctor Who commented: "This story is incorrect, Doctor Who has not been shelved. As we have previously stated, the decision on season three will be made after season two airs.
"The deal with Disney Plus 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."
Doctor Who became a co-production between the BBC and US-based streaming service Disney Plus, beginning on its 60th anniversary specials, which saw the surprise return of the Tenth (and fourteenth) timelord, David Tennant, who according to odds published by betideas.com is one of the favourites to take over the famous role, despite previously insisting he was 'too old' to return.
He is 5/1 to become the permanent replacement for Gatwa, placing him third in the betting, while other favourites include Josh O'Connor, with odds of 2/1, and Jack Lowden who was 4/1.
This now leaves both crew and fans confused over whether Disney will renew its deal, said to be worth £100million, with the BBC..
Crew working on the show in Cardiff are said to be furious at being left in limbo after filming wrapped with the Sun also being told: “Word on set is that the BBC will shelve the series for at least five years. The crew were told not to hold their breath for work on the series for at least ten years.
"As we scramble to find work, those responsible get to ride off on to other well-paid projects without any repercussions. Filming wrapped on Friday afternoon, with no fanfare or celebration.”
