Summary
- Ncuti Gatwa's potential departure from Doctor Who could heavily impact the show's future due to his popularity.
- Viewership decline in recent years adds to concerns, with Gatwa's departure possibly leading to loss of trust from fans.
- BBC's ability to easily replace Gatwa doesn't mask the negative impact of his departure on the show's long-term success.
Ncuti Gatwa was a massive name for BBC to hire to play the titular role in Doctor Who due to the hype surrounding him currently. But after just one season, that could all be coming to an end. With the show's second season set to release later in 2025, the anticipation for what could come next is now being met with a level of trepidation and fear due to new rumors claiming the Sex Education star is already keen to quit.
There is some speculation that Gatwa has even filmed his regeneration scene, which would spark the end of his time on the show. While the beauty of Doctor Who is that the series can easily replace the actor in that role, the possibility of Gatwa leaving the show after what would be just two seasons in the role could have a devastating impact.
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Could Ncuti Gatwa Be Set To Quit Doctor Who?
Gatwa's first season in the role proved popular with diehard Doctor Who fans, with people praising the energy and charisma he brought to the role. However, viewership is down, and The Sun reported that not only is Gatwa set to quit the show, but Doctor Who as a whole is going to be shelved by the BBC for a period of time. This wouldn't be the first time that the science fiction epic has been put on the back burner, but considering the investment from Disney, now would be a surprising time for the show to be brought to an end after so much effort was placed into the revival.
BBC has released an official statement on the matter:
"This story is incorrect, Doctor Who has not been shelved. As we have previously stated, the decision on season 3 will be made after season 2 airs. The deal with Disney Plus was for 26 episodes, and exactly half of those still have to transmit. And as for the rest, we never comment on the Doctor and future storylines."
Of course, the BBC has not given any clear information about the long-term future of the show, given that season two of Doctor Who has already been filmed. Therefore, there is still a risk and a concern that Gatwa could end up moving on from the role so quickly after he began. If the Scotsman were to quit, it would be the earliest departure of a Time Lord since Christopher Eccleston quit after just one season.
Why It Would Have A Negative Impact On Doctor Who's Future?
Viewership for Doctor Who has declined in recent years, which is a concern for the long-term future of any show. The final episode of
Gatwa's first season gained just 2.02 million viewers, which was a drop from the last episode of Jodie Whittaker's last episode in the role, which drew 3.7 million viewers. That showcases that the series, on the whole, isn't the drawing powerhouse it once was, with some people being turned off by the show attempting to tap into narratives that have tackled broader global issues and social commentaries rather than just providing an exciting science fiction show.
While different actors can play the titular role, they all have their own distinct personalities and storylines. BBC has set plenty of them up for Gatwa's character, but fans wouldn't get to see them come to their natural conclusion if he were to leave the show, which would not only be disappointing but could also lead to some fans simply giving up and not trusting the show anymore.
Could Doctor Who Survive Ncuti Gatwa Quitting?
Of course, if Gatwa quits and the BBC wants to continue the show, he will be easily replaced in terms of someone physically doing the role. The show has a longstanding history of different people taking on that character and the beauty of Doctor Who is that it's a part anybody can take on, regardless of gender or race. That opens up the auditioning process to a wider range of actors, which would be beneficial for the show, but the optics of Gatwa quitting so quickly wouldn't be positive. People would instantly be questioning the overall quality of the series and whether it's something they want to invest their time into if the lead actor walks away from it so quickly.
On top of that, many fans will be specifically invested in Gatwa's version of the Doctor. Whether it's because they're just fans of the actor and have watched it for him or because they just enjoyed this version of the character. Therefore, him being gone could lead to those audiences disappearing with him. It would also negatively impact the show because Doctor Who is at its best when the same actor is in the role for a long time, and that specific version of the character has built up relationships and memories that can be played upon. With Doctor Who in such a vulnerable state anyway, due to the changing nature of television, Gatwa leaving wouldn't look good and could potentially do a lot of damage to the long-term health of the series.
Doctor Who
- Release Date
- May 11, 2024
- Network
- BBC One
- Directors
- Alex Pillai, Peter Hoar, Ben Chessell, Julie Anne Robinson, Jamie Donoughue, Amanda Brotchie, Dylan Holmes Williams
- Writers
- Steven Moffat, Pete McTighe, Kate Herron, Inua Ellams, Juno Dawson
- Franchise(s)
- Doctor Who / Whoniverse
Cast
-
Ncuti GatwaThe Doctor -
Millie GibsonRuby Sunday
WHERE TO WATCH
Originally premiered in 1963, Doctor Who is a sci-fi series that follows a powerful being known as a Time Lord, referred to as the Doctor. Using an interdimensional time-traveling ship known as the TARDIS, the Doctor travels time and space with various companions as they solve multiple problems and help avert catastrophe as much as they almost cause it. Though the Doctor is always the same character, they experience regenerations, allowing them to be recast every few seasons as a unique immortal being with new personality traits.
