Fun, flirty and far too brief: why did Ncuti Gatwa leave Doctor Who so soon?

Young, beautiful and queer, the first Black man to hold the sonic screwdriver made waves before his shock regeneration – but his time in the Whoniverse was the shortest in 20 years. What next for him … and the show?At the weekend, Doctor Who attempted to pull off the holy grail of a surprise regeneration, with Billie Piper appearing to step into the shoes of the departing 15th Doctor Ncuti Gatwa in a move that, unless you are constantly online in the fandom rumour mills, would have come as a shock. Gatwa’s exit gives him one of the shortest ever tenures in a role that has been a fixture of British television for more than six decades.Fresh from making waves in Sex Education, 32-year-old Gatwa is young and beautiful in a way that the Doctor has not always been. His incarnation of the Time Lord delivered scenes it is hard to imagine most of the other actors inhabiting – whether that was him clubbing, pulling off a 1960s dance number, using a glitter-canon to fly through space, or saying “babes” a lot. Continue reading...

Comments

Culture

In the Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial, an ex-girlfriend testifies about abuse and control

washington times

Comments

Similar News

Fun Things to Do in NYC in June 2025

John Wick fans needn’t have worried – Ballerina is brilliant fun

No fun, just fungus: The continuing traumas of 'The Last Of Us' season two

In 'Words with Wings and Magic Things,' poetry is beautifully illustrated — and fun!

TV tonight: Timothy Spall stars in a fun new crime spoof for Ludwig fans

Sirens review – Julianne Moore’s utterly addictive cult drama is preposterously fun

‘Ridiculously fun’ horror-comedy now available to watch on BBC iPlayer

Wes Anderson makes fun of Donald Trump’s film tariff plan: ‘Can you hold up a movie in customs?’

TV tonight: a fun reboot of early 00s reality show Faking It

Code of Silence review – Rose Ayling-Ellis is a triumph in this fun, fascinating crime show

At the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, politics once more intrudes upon this formerly big fun pop lark

TV tonight: Rylan stars in a super fun Eurovision/Doctor Who mashup

Sirens: Julianne Moore and Meghann Fahy have acres of fun in this wild White Lotus-esque bingefest

The Spirit Tunnel is unapologetic celebrity worship — and extremely fun

Duke and Duchess of Sussex have ‘fun date night’ at Beyonce concert

The Uninvited is pure bitchy fun

Culture

In the Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial, an ex-girlfriend testifies about abuse and control

Olympics under pressure to strip Khelif of boxing gold medal after leaked lab report

Anthropic unveils models for U.S. intelligence and defense agencies

Montreux Jazz Festival unveils Spotlight Stage lineup including rising British star Luvcat

Addison Rae’s debut album proves her evolution from influencer to pop heavyweight is complete

'Courageous' acting student awarded cash prize by Jean Armour Burns Trust

Chilling future of a Britain where women can't carry a pregnancy to term

Fans of iconic 70s band blast ‘awful’ biopic casting of Nick Jonas as rock legend

Billy Joel reveals he attempted suicide twice after betraying his best friend

Beyoncé praised for ‘effortless’ recovery from wardrobe malfunction on Cowboy Carter tour

Blake Lively makes playful flower arranging offer to fans amid Justin Baldoni legal battle

‘Really upsetting’ ITV axe will devastate show that’s been on for 26 years

Clarkson’s Farm fans convinced they spotted ‘editing error’ – but there’s more to it

Billy Joel shares first message with fans since brain disorder diagnosis

‘He threatened my career’: 22 actors who didn’t get along with their directors

Martin Scorsese supported after admitting he no longer goes to the cinema

Venue boss warns Edinburgh Festival Fringe may become a 'one-person show' event

Atomic Kitten star Natasha Hamilton, 42, mistook skin cancer for mosquito bite

Rik Mayall festival a fantastic success - organisers

Springsteen performs harmonica duet with 12-year-old fan

BBC Radio host Bryan Burnett announces break from show after ‘incredibly rare’ cancer diagnosis

Loose Women cuts live studio audience amid ITV budget cuts

Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter show is a bewildering bombardment of entertainment

It's quaint the things you find in some people's bathrooms...

The multi-million pound projects transforming Edinburgh's cultural landscape

Donald Trump and Elon Musk get bizarre reality TV offer after public spat

Is 'Ballerina' an en pointe entry in the John Wick universe?

The Pride month vibes are off, but there's still hope.

2025 Tony Awards Predictions: Best New Musical, Best Leading Actress and More

Musk threatens to decommission SpaceX capsule, a key space station link, after Trump attack

Jonathan Bailey reveals big way Wicked 2 differs from stage show

Wicked 2 director Jon M Chu confirms Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo will each have a brand new song

Dakota Johnson blames Madame Web flop on people ‘who don’t have a creative bone in their body’

Disney composer Alan Menken: ‘I won my first Oscar, then Howard Ashman told me he was dying’

Beyonce rides into town for London leg of Cowboy Carter tour

Blue Plaque honour for Bradford theatre pioneer

BBC Radio presenter takes break for cancer treatment

'Belfast adopted me when making How to Train Your Dragon' - Gerard Butler

Robbie Williams: ‘My dad doesn’t look after himself – he should have had help long ago’

Why Taylor Jenkins Reid’s new queer love story inspired her to come out

Private Japanese lunar lander crashes into moon in failed mission

Judge halts Trump's order blocking foreign students from Harvard

Tom Cruise awarded Guinness World Record for death-defying scene in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

Wicked: For Good trailer released with new songs and first glimpse of Dorothy

Beloved Summer House star announces exit ahead of season 10

Love Island USA: Meet the cast as one islander exits early after racist comments resurface

Fight like a girl? Ana de Armas on twisting phrase for a new meaning

The true story behind A Widow’s Game is even wilder than the Netflix film

Ryan Reynolds acquires a new sports team — this time with Hugh Jackman

‘Draco Malfoy is back’: Tom Felton to reprise Harry Potter role after 14 years

Olly Alexander lands West End role after leaving record deal

‘And Just Like That …’ Season 3, Episode 2 Recap: Textual Relations

Russia Launches Broad Assault on Kyiv and Other Cities in Ukraine

Beyonce enjoys the rain as she kicks off London stint of Cowboy Carter tour

Cowboy Beyoncé dazzles nearly sold-out stadium

Fans drive huge Nintendo Switch 2 launch; others play the waiting game

Harvey Weinstein jury deliberations begin in sex crimes retrial

Tom Cruise awarded Guinness World Record for death-defying Mission Impossible scene

Netflix is hours away from dropping all 6 episodes of ‘traumatic’ Australian thriller

Philippe Labro Dies at 88; Restless Chronicler of the French Condition