Ncuti Gatwa will begin filming his first proper season of Doctor Who this November, according to The Hollywood Reporter, but it probably won’t be aired until 2024. The 60th anniversary special is due to be broadcast in late 2023 and it’s very likely that Gatwa and Yasmin Finney will be introduced in the special.
The 60th anniversary special sees the return of David Tennant and Catherine Tate, and Finney said that it was “a bit surreal to be acting with them. It’s insane and I’m learning so much.” Gatwa is currently filming the fourth season of Sex Education, and Finney has more seasons of Heartstopper coming up.
The casting of Gatwa and Finney in Doctor Who has caused a stir – we have now had the first woman Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and the first Black Doctor. Gatwa’s version of the Doctor will reportedly be gay, and Finney’s Rose will reportedly be trans. Showrunner Russell T. Davies has been fundamental in bringing groundbreaking LGBTQ+ stories to British television screens. His work includes 1999’s Queer as Folk, 2015’s Cucumber and Banana, and 2021’s It’s a Sin.
Gatwa will also be seen in Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Barbie movie, which seemingly has a cast of thousands. Gatwa’s Barbie co-star Ryan Gosling has expressed his enthusiasm and support for the new Doctor Who.
Speaking of Gatwa, Davies said; “He has talent. It was the most blazing audition. It was our last audition. It was our very last one. We thought we had someone and in he came and stole it. Genuinely. I watched Sex Education, I loved his work. I didn’t know quite what we were going to get until I was in the room and meeting Ncuti. It’s just going to be a joy. I’m properly, properly, thrilled. It’s going to be a blazing future.”
When Finney was cast, Davies said; “Life on Doctor Who gets brighter and wilder, how can there be another Rose (after Billie Piper)? You’ll find out in 2023, but it’s an absolute joy to welcome Yasmin to the Doctor Who set. We all fell in love with her in Heartstopper, one of those shows which changes the world – and now Yasmin can change the Whoniverse!”
While we wait to see how, when and where Gatwa and Finney are introduced into Doctor Who, check out our guide to the best sci-fi series.