After a ravishing streak as one of TV’s most famous characters, Ncuti Gatwa is already departing as Doctor Who and is being replaced by someone familiar enough to fans of the show. This change was already teased in the finale of Doctor Who, and subsequently drew a lot of attention from viewers.
Which actor is replacing Ncuti Gatwa as Doctor Who?
In a rather surprising turn of events, Billie Piper is going to play the role of Doctor Who. The actress previously portrayed Rose Tyler, the companion to the Ninth Doctor in 2005. Piper’s other prominent roles came in TV shows like Collateral and I Hate Suzie.
The finale of the Ncuti Gatwa-led season saw the character regenerating as Tyler during the finale, adding a whole new dimension to the story. Gatwa said in a behind-the-scenes interview that the role “demands a lot of you physically and emotionally and mentally,” and that he would “love to have the energy and the youth to be able to do this full time.” However, the actor shared that he struggled to meet the physical demands of the role, leading to his exit.
Many fans reportedly took to social media to mourn the exit of Gatwa. Piper, meanwhile, was more than delighted to join the cast as the leading character and shared her thoughts. “I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse as I have some of my best memories there, so to be given the opportunity to step back on that TARDIS one more time was just something I couldn’t refuse, but who, how, why and when, you’ll just have to wait and see,” she shared (via BBC).
Doctor Who has received largely positive reviews from and critics, and it continues to enjoy a massive fan following across the world.
