Ncuti Gatwa will take the mantle from Jodie Whittaker on \u201cDoctor Who,\u201d the BBC announced Sunday, ending speculation over the iconic Time Lord\u2019s next regeneration.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes talent walks through the door and it\u2019s so bright and bold and brilliant, I just stand back in awe and thank my lucky stars,\u201d returning showrunner Russell T Davies said in the broadcaster\u2019s release. \u201cNcuti dazzled us, seized hold of the Doctor and owned those TARDIS keys in seconds.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gatwa, whose first name is pronounced \u2019SHOO-tee, currently stars in Netflix\u2019s high school comedy-drama \u201cSex Education\u201d as the effervescent Eric Effiong, who is openly gay but from a highly religious family.<\/p>\n
The Rwanda-born, Scotland-raised Gatwa, 29, will be the first Black actor to helm the quintessential British sci-fi show, but he won\u2019t be the first Black Doctor \u2014 Jo Martin has played \u201cFugitive Doctor\u201d in several episodes.<\/p>\n
Whittaker became the 13th doctor \u2014 and the first woman to play the central galaxy-hopping, extraterrestrial Time Lord who regenerates into new bodies \u2014 in 2017, when she took over from Peter Capaldi. Her last episode of \u201cDoctor Who\u201d is expected to air later this year.<\/p>\n
The original run of \u201cDoctor Who\u201d spanned 1963 to 1989. Since the show was revived in 2005, the Doctor has been played by Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant and Matt Smith, in addition to Capaldi and Whittaker. Other stars, like Karen Gillan and Billie Piper, have made their names on the show as the Doctor\u2019s \u201ccompanion.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis 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. I will endeavor my utmost to do the same,\u201d the release quoted Gatwa \u2014 who described his emotions as \u201ca mix of deeply honored, beyond excited and of course a little bit scared\u201d \u2014 as saying.<\/p>\n
In addition to seeing the start of Gatwa\u2019s tenure, next year also marks Davies\u2019 return to \u201cDoctor Who\u201d after more than a decade\u2019s absence.<\/p>\n
\u201cRussell T Davies is almost as iconic as the Doctor himself and being able to work with him is a dream come true,\u201d Gatwa said.<\/p>\n
The writer and producer ran the reboot until 2009, and has worked on shows like \u201cA Very English Scandal\u201d and \u201cIt\u2019s A Sin\u201d in the interim. He promises a \u201cspectacular\u201d 2023.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnlike the Doctor, I may only have one heart but I am giving it all to this show,\u201d Gatwa said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Source: Voice of America<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ncuti Gatwa will take the mantle from Jodie Whittaker on \u201cDoctor Who,\u201d the BBC announced Sunday, ending speculation over the iconic Time Lord\u2019s next regeneration.\u201cSometimes talent walks through the door and it\u2019s so bright and bold and brilliant, I just…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n