Doctor Who gave us our first glimpse of Ncuti Gatwa as The Fifteenth Doctor in "The Giggle" earlier this month, and now he's off on his first full-length adventure in the 2023 Christmas special, "The Church On Ruby Road". The BBC has also revealed that a new trailer will follow its broadcast giving a glimpse of the new season ahead.
The special sees foundling Ruby Sunday (Coronation Street's Millie Gibson), who was found on the steps of a church as a baby, on a mission to find out where she came from — but her quest brings her into the path of The Doctor, and her life will never be the same again.
We caught up with Ncuti and Millie ahead of this year's festive special...
Doctor Who Christmas Special interview with Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson
What kind of Doctor will the Fifteenth Doctor be?
Ncuti: "Oh, I don't want to say, because I don't want to paint anyone's perception of what my Doctor will be. But also, I don't quite know until it's released and I see it. But what I hear is that he's very human, he's quite emotional, he's a bit of a joker — and that's all you're getting!"
What's the relationship like between The Doctor and Ruby?
Millie: "I've said this before, they are like two schoolgirls gossiping and plotting! It's very platonic, and I think you see their love for each other from the beginning, and how much they care for one another. I think people will be thinking about their best friends when they watch."
You've both come from shows with massive audiences — has that prepared you for Doctor Who, or is this a very different beast?
Ncuti: "I have been part of large projects in the past, but this is something particularly different, because it sits so deeply in the heart of the British public, so you want to care for it and nurture it. There's such weight to this, there's 60 years of legacy, and you want to protect that — it's like we've been passed a baton and we have to keep it up. I've never worked on a show with such a dedicated fandom before, which is another thing to look after."
Millie: "Yeah, I think when this show comes to mind, it's different for everyone. You see a certain face — when you think of Doctor Who, you think of your Doctor, so I think it's really flattering that when this new generation will watch it, they'll think of your face. It's going to be a really cool thing to be someone's Doctor, or someone's companion."
What was the casting process like?
Ncuti: "I just remember thinking this is such a fun role, and the audition scene that I got had everything — there was craziness going on, but there was also a really nice, human moment with the Doctor and the companion, and it was really funny, and sweet, and then heartwarming, and then danger and high stakes again. That felt very Doctor Who to me. It's interesting, all the jobs I've got have been the ones I never thought I would get, and because I didn't think I would get them, I went in thinking 'I'm just gonna go for gold', and I guess that's..."
Millie: [in a Californian accent] "That's what you did, honey!"
Ncuti: "This is what I did!"
Millie: "I remember being in my room watching the Bafta awards when you got announced and thinking 'oh, he'll be great, I'm buzzing with that' — then going to bed and not thinking about it again! When I got the audition through, I did a self-tape and my agent thankfully went 'do that again, because they won't like that', so I was like 'okay, lovely, I'll try again!'. I actually put this vest on which looked like the TARDIS, and I was like, 'this'll get 'em!'. Obviously I got the recall, and I've never been so nervous for an audition. I remember being in a Caffè Nero opposite, going on my phone to take my mind off it, and [showrunner Russell T Davies] had posted a picture of everyone in the room — that just made me even more nervous! And then as soon as I went in the waiting room, I heard your laugh and I was like, 'I'm gonna be fine'. I walked in and I was completely at ease, and then I didn't hear back for ages. It was a quick audition process compared to many, but it also felt like the longest waiting experience ever!"
Ncuti, the day that you were unveiled, you had a call with David Tennant and Jodie Whittaker. What advice did they give you?
Ncuti: "What happens between Doctors stays between Doctors! They were just very warm and lovely and welcoming, it felt like I have known them forever. They just gave me the best advice, which is like 'this is the best role, enjoy it, there will be a lot more intense attention on you than there's ever been before'. And I was like 'that can't be right, I've just worked with Ryan Gosling [in Barbie], there's no way' — then I went home and there were paps outside my house!"
How excited are you that your first adventure together is airing on Christmas Day?
Millie: "Oh gosh, I think a lot of people are probably going to be watching, and that's terrifying! It's Christmas Day, so even people who don't watch Doctor Who are going to be like, 'do you want to whip the new Christmas special on?' just to see, because it's Christmassy and it's feelgood. I'm just hoping people will be very jolly on Prosecco when they're watching it!"
- Doctor Who: The Church On Ruby Road is on BBC1 on Christmas Day at 5.55pm. In the US it will be available on Disney Plus.
