The new Doctor, Sex Education’s Ncuti Gatwa, accidentally revealed his casting to one of his predecessors, Matt Smith, months before it was announced.
While Ncuti Gatwa’s announcement as Doctor Who’s Fifteenth Doctor surprised audiences, fans of his portrayal of Sex Education’s Eric Effiong may be less surprised that he spilled the secret while tipsy months prior.
Via Rolling Stone, Gatwa accidentally spilled the secret to the Tenth Doctor, Matt Smith, at a party. Smith would only learn the meaning of Gatwa’s cryptic “I’m following in your footsteps!” months later when he was officially announced as the new Doctor in May 2022.
Gatwa had reportedly been keeping the secret as far back as February 2022. “It’s been emotional, it’s been emotional,” Gatwa said after the Doctor Who announcement. “I was just saying, I woke up crying, and then I started dancing… I’m glad that it’s finally out, and I don’t have to keep it secret anymore, ’cause I’m terrible.” The pressure of the secret has since turned into the pressure of the role, as Gatwa shared that he’s in a group chat with some Doctors providing mentorship, including the surprise Fourteenth Doctor, David Tennant.
A New Era of Doctor Who
Tennant’s regeneration signaled a series first for Doctor Who. While a Doctor’s regeneration typically results in the destruction of the TARDIS, their greatest ally, the Thirteenth Doctor, Jodie Whittaker left Tennant a working version for his adventures. The big surprise was that this is the first time a regeneration has led to the same Doctor, with Tennant appearing as the Tenth and now Fourteenth Doctor. Showrunner Russell T. Davies teased fans expecting Gatwa, stating, “The path to Ncuti’s Fifteenth Doctor is laden with mystery, horror, robots, puppets, danger and fun! And how is it connected to the return of the wonderful Donna Noble? How, what, why? We’re giving you a year to speculate, and then all hell lets loose!”
Since the announcement, many fans have noted the same sense of flair in the new Doctor that Gatwa showcases in Sex Education. His Doctor’s ’60s style signals a departure from the typical fashion sense of the Doctor, and he has cited his afro as an intentional choice, given Gatwa is the first Black man to play a Doctor. Gatwa recently compared the Doctor role to James Bond, with both being longstanding British franchises and each recasting attracting reactions from effusive to the hateful. “I’m very nervous. I have a lot of sleepless nights where I lie awake feeling my heartbeat,” he said. “I’m the first Black man to play this character. The British press can be very mean.” When outlining his intentions as the Fifteenth Doctor, Gatwa said, “I just have to focus on the job and stay true to what the Doctor is: a mad scientist alien who has adventures and cares about everyone.”
Doctor Who will be available to stream in the United States via Disney+ in November. Gatwa will make his first appearance as the lead actor in December’s Christmas special.
