Ncuti Gatwa kicks off first season as Doctor Who with trip to the 60s
- Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor is fast and fun for the 15th incarnation of the Time Lord
- READ MORE: Bridgerton actress Nicola Coughlan will star alongside actor Ncuti Gatwa in Doctor Who’s Christmas special
Fast and fun are the buzzwords for Ncuti Gatwa’s 15th incarnation of the Doctor as Doctor Who returns.
His version’s quick (‘the poor cameraman struggles to keep up with me,’ he laughs), and fun because that’s how returning showrunner Russell T Davies wants him to be.
‘I thought it was time for fun, time to be wilder and madder than we have been in previous series,’ says Russell.
The result is eight pacy episodes full of action. We see the Doctor racing across London on a snazzy 60s scooter, narrowly escaping explosions and monsters with his new assistant Ruby Sunday (former Coronation Street actress Millie Gibson).
Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor Who with his new assistant Ruby Sunday (former Coronation Street actress Millie Gibson )
The BBC is showing the first two episodes as a double bill. Space Babies features a Tardis
of infants in pushchairs. ‘It was hard work keeping them smiling,’ says Millie. ‘We kept nursery rhymes on our phones.’
The second part sees the Doctor, who’s a Beatles fan, take Ruby back to 1963 to meet his heroes, who are recording at Abbey Road Studios in London.
The pair replicate the pedestrian crossing photo from the cover of the Fab Four’s album and the Doctor bursts into song. Later, there’s a story set in the Regency era which Ncuti and Millie dubbed the Bridgerton episode.
It’s no surprise Millie is excited about her first stint as the Doctor’s companion. ‘I told my mum I’d like to visit the 60s and the Regency period… what are the chances?’ she laughs.
Fast and fun are the buzzwords for Ncuti Gatwa ’s 15th incarnation of the Doctor as Doctor Who returns
George Caple plays Paul McCartney for this trip back to the 60s, as the doctor even breaks into song
Born in Rwanda and raised in Scotland, Ncuti was inspired to become an actor watching David Tennant in the role, partly due to the Doctor’s loneliness.
‘There’s a scene in the new series where he says to Ruby, “I have the whole universe at my fingertips but I’m all on my own. I’d love it if you come with me.”’
Although past alumni such as Bonnie Langford and Jemma Redgrave will pop up this series, Russell says respect for the past shouldn’t stand in the way of reinvention. ‘Doctor Who is entering what we hope is a glorious new era.’
- Doctor Who, Saturday, 6.20pm, BBC1 and BBC iPlayer.
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