Fans of Doctor Who had a lot to talk about on Sunday after star of Sex Education Ncuti Gatwa was revealed as the next Doctor. He will replace current Time Lord Jodie Whittaker on the long-running sci-fi show.
Now, Whovians are eager to find out when the new Time Lord will have his first episode as the famous character. Jodie Whittaker still has one more episode as the iconic character.
The 29-year old actor has previously starred in hit Netflix series Sex Education. He is set to take on one of the most well-known roles in British television, BirminghamLive reports.
Ncuti has also opened up about the news. He said that he is "deeply honoured, beyond excited, and of course a little bit scared" to be taking on the role.
Fans of the show will also have something else to be excited about, as writer Russell T Davies, who wrote the first episodes of the revived series, is also set to return. Davies wrote Christopher Eccleston's doctor, as well as David Tennant's before leaving the show in 2009.
Davies has since penned the critically-acclaimed Channel 4 series It’s A Sin, as well as Years and Years and Cucumber. He announced his return to the helm of Doctor Who in September last year, to the delight of fans.
A statement from the makers of the show BBC Studios and Bad Wolf confirmed at the time that Davies will be back for the show’s 60th anniversary special, and “series beyond”.
Let’s take a look at what this means for when fans can expect to see Ncuti in action as the Doctor:
When will we first see Ncuti as the Doctor?
Ncuti isn’t the Doctor just yet - current actor Jodie Whittaker still has one final full episode left before she hands over the keys to the Tardis. Jodie’s Thirteenth Doctor is set to face off against nemeses The Master, the Daleks and the Cybermen in a special episode penned as part of the BBC Centenary celebrations.
While an exact date for this special is yet to be announced, it’s expected to air this autumn - and given that it’s Jodie’s last outing as the Doctor, it’s safe to assume that viewers can expect to see a regeneration take place. For anyone not familiar with the show’s format, this is the process of the current Doctor transforming into the new one.
Previous Doctors David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi and Jodie Whittaker have all made their first brief appearances as the Doctor in this way, popping up at the end of their predecessor’s final full episode. So if this format is followed this time around, there’s a chance that fans can expect to get a glimpse of Ncuti’s Doctor within the last couple of minutes of Jodie’s final episode later this year.
What date is Ncuti’s first full episode?
Russell T Davies promised that “2023 will be spectacular” in a statement about Ncuti’s casting as the Doctor, so fans will have to be patient to see the new Time Lord properly take the helm. But it will likely be worth the wait, given that 2023 is also Doctor Who’s 60th birthday.
November 23, 2023 marks 60 years since Doctor Who’s very first episode back in 1963 - so this date is when we can expect to see Ncuti in full swing as the Time Lord, in a special episode to mark the anniversary as the first full episode written by returning showrunner Russell T Davies. Details are being kept tightly under wraps as to what fans can expect from this special, but the rumour mill has been sent into overdrive over speculation about possible returning characters too.
After all, the show’s 50th anniversary special episode back in 2013 saw the return of David Tennant as the Doctor as well as Billie Piper and even a special appearance from Fourth Doctor Tom Baker, alongside the then-Doctor Matt Smith and his companion Clara played by Jenna Coleman. So speculation is rife as to who fans might see return this time around, from previous Doctors to former companions - but they will have to wait a little longer to find out, with bosses promising that more details will be announced in due course.
When is Ncuti’s first full series as the Doctor?
Ncuti’s first full series as the Doctor will follow the 60th anniversary special. The exact date that this will be is not yet known - however, given that the 60th airs in late November, a start date in 2024 is looking likely.
Doctor Who series air dates have shifted around over the past seventeen years, ranging from Easter to late autumn and even New Year’s Day, so when Ncuti’s first full series could be is currently anyone’s guess.
However, when Russell T Davies was last showrunner of Doctor Who full series of the show always aired in the Springtime, around late March or early April, so it’s possible that he may wish to return to this format - which would see Ncuti’s first full series hit our screens in Spring 2024.
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