The BBC has appointed Ncuti Gatwa for the role of Doctor Who‘s Fourth Doctor. Gatwa will be taking over this role from 2023 taking over from Jodie Whittaker, who is the current Doctor.
“This role and the show mean so much to many all over the world including me. And every one of my skilled predecessors has dealt with that special task with the highest level of attention to detail,” Gatwa said in an interview with the BBC. “I will do my best to be the same.”
The Scottish actor has previously appeared as Eric Effiong in Netflix’s comedy series Sex Education as well as be starring along with Margot Robbie in the forthcoming Barbie film. Gatwa is the very first Black actor to portray the role of the Doctor in a role that has been given to many performers throughout the years since Doctor Who‘s debut in 1963.
Whittaker was being the first female to play the show a Doctor at the time the BBC made her the choice for the role in the year 2017. In keeping with the tradition of the show, Whittaker will appear in one final episode which is set to introduce Gatwa as the fourteenth Doctor. This episode is set to air at the end of the year to coincide with the milestone 100th birthday of the BBC.
The Doctor is a humanoid Time Lord who can travel through space and time with the TARDIS The Doctor can take his appearance in near-death situations, by undergoing a process known as regeneration. This is used as an effective plot device for passing the role between the leading actors. It was first used to smooth changes between characters following The First Doctor, William Hartnell was removed from the show.