Ncuti Gatwa, famous for playing Eric Effiong in the hit Netflix series ‘Sex Education’ has been cast as the latest Doctor in the long running Science fiction show, Doctor Who.
He is expected to make his first appearance at the climax of the ‘Centenary Special’ – a 90-minute feature length adventure broadcast as part of the BBC’s 100th anniversary celebrations.
He will become the first black actor to take on the role of the Doctor in a mainstream capacity, following on from the first female incarnation, played by Jodie Whittaker.
The announcement was first made on the official Doctor Who website in a statement, at midday on May 8th.
“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 mean so much to so many around the world, including myself, and each of my incredibly talented predecessors has handled that unique responsibility and privilege with the upmost care.”
Ncuti Gatwa
Gatwa, while attending the BAFTA Television awards, revealed he was cast earlier in February. Exasperated at the announcement, he also stated to BBC News: “I feel happy now I can talk about it. I’ve been keeping it a secret so it’s nice to finally breath.”
“It’s an incredibly iconic role in an incredibly iconic show and I just hope I can do it justice.”
Returning showrunner Russell T. Davies, the main catalyst behind the scenes who brought Doctor Who back after a 16-year hiatus in 2005, was also excited to finally release the news.
“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 I can’t wait to get started.”
Russell T Davies
Born in Rwanda – Gatwa moved to Scotland with his family in 1994. Settling in Edinburgh, a young Ncuti attended Boroughmuir High School – before again moving to Dunfermline. Graduating from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland – the young actor gained his first credited role in BBC Scotland’s “Bob Servant” and later moved to London, where he struggled at first – and was homeless for a mere 5 months before securing his role in ‘Sex Education’.
A series regular, Gatwa’s character Eric Effiong was well received by audiences. His charm and comic timing allowed the young actor to portray his wide-ranging acting skillset.
Winning a Scottish BAFTA as ‘The Best Actor in Television’ in 2020, and having been nominated for Best male Comedy Performance at the BAFTA Television Awards in 2021. The young actor’s performance as Eric, undoubtedly raised his profile in his adopted homeland and across the UK.
With the Doctor famous for travelling with companions and possessing a vibrant fashion sense – we can expect further updates about Ncuti’s new Doctor in the future before he is shown on screens in Autumn of this year.
For more information about Gatwa’s announcement, and upcoming Centenary Special can be found on the official Doctor Who Website, found below.
Written by Andrew Morrison