A recent tabloid report regarding the future of Doctor Who and its lead actor Ncuti Gatwa has sent fans into a frenzy, fearing the worst for the Whoniverse – but what has actually been reported, and is it true?
Is Ncuti Gatwa leaving ‘Doctor Who’?
As of right now, there is no definitive reason to believe Ncuti Gatwa is leaving Doctor Who and will no longer play The Fifteenth Doctor.
The article from The Sun leans heavily on politically charged rhetoric, framing the show’s inclusion of diverse storylines as a reason for its supposed downfall. Phrases like “shoehorning wokery” and claims that episodes focused on “an agenda rather than telling a story” mirror broader culture war narratives rather than providing objective criticism.
Russell T Davies, the current showrunner, has always incorporated social commentary into his work, including in his earlier Doctor Who run, which was widely praised. Additionally, despite the backlash from some quarters, Doctor Who’s return under Davies saw an initial increase in audience interest, with the 60th anniversary specials outperforming Jodie Whittaker’s final episodes.
What doesn’t help the situation is the recent reveal that some additional filming was taking place for the show, revealed by known scooper Doctor Who Filming Locations on X. Whilst he has been a reliable source for behind-the-scenes developments, his recent participation in amplifying unfounded tabloid rumours is disappointing. Reporting on filming activity is one thing, but engaging with baseless speculation, especially when fuelled by sensationalist reporting from The Sun only serves to muddy the waters rather than provide clarity.
This recent development has since somehow evolved into a ‘Ncuti Secret Regeneration’, which has undoubtedly fuelled the fire in the rumour mill. This idea has quickly spread across fan circles, igniting heated discussions about what it could mean for the show’s trajectory. Given Doctor Who’s history of surprise regenerations and misdirections, the idea isn’t entirely implausible, and the secrecy surrounding these additional shoots has only intensified speculation.
The BBC outright rejects the report.
It didn’t take long for someone from the BBC to come out and make a comment in response to the initial reports from The Sun, stating:
“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+ 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.”
A BBC Representative, speaking to TVZoneUK
It’s in the show’s history that there has always been tabloid stories spun in a way that both scrutinises the show, but also tries to challenge the work being done. In the past, as early as 2006, there were so-called “rumours” that David Tennant had quit the show. Even before that, outlets like The Mirror were scooping Billie Piper’s exit storyline a year in advance.
It almost feels like tradition for The Sun to report the show’s axing, having first done it in 2007 – ahead of Russell T Davies departing the show, which at the time wasn’t announced, causing a spur of articles to be released. It wasn’t until May 2008 when RTD announced the end of his first run as Who showrunner, with Moffatt being announced as his successor. It’s very clear that The Sun loves to “axe” Doctor Who, as they’ve been doing it for years at this point…
This kind of speculation isn’t new, just last year, the whole “Millie Gibson has been sacked” fiasco unfolded in front of our eyes and look how that turned out!
In fact, Doctor Who is thriving. According to the BBC’s latest annual report, the series remains one of iPlayer’s most-watched programmes and is the broadcaster’s top drama for under-35s this year, making it one of the biggest shows for that demographic across all streaming platforms and broadcasters.
READ: ‘The Gorge’ Review
Meanwhile, the show’s economic impact remains staggering. An official report published to coincide with the 60th anniversary found that between 2004 and 2021, Doctor Who contributed an estimated £134.6 million to the Welsh economy and £256 million across the UK as a whole. The production has also played a key role in cementing Wales as a hub for high-end TV and drama, boosting its creative industries significantly.
For all the sensationalist headlines predicting Doctor Who’s demise, the actual data tells a different story: the show is bigger, bolder, and more globally connected than ever before. So next time a tabloid insists Doctor Who is on the verge of cancellation, take a step back and look at the bigger picture – because the TARDIS isn’t going anywhere.
The Whovians respond.
Various fans have taken to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share their concern and voice their own opinions on the recent developments:
Why hasn’t Season 3 been announced/commissioned?
As of February 2025, the BBC has not officially announced or commissioned a third season of Doctor Who featuring Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor. The prevailing narrative has been that a decision regarding Season 3 would be made after the broadcast of Season 2, irrespective of Disney’s involvement.
I think one of the biggest causes for this issue is the BBC clearly need to know what budget Doctor Who will be given in order to get the cogs turning in motion for a third season. If Disney is holding off until after airing, then neither party will know the financial in and outs until that Season 2 finale has aired, and a decision made.
READ: ‘The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie’ Review
If Disney renews the deal? Then brilliant, we have more bigger-budget Doctor Who on the way. But if they don’t? There might be a slight change to RTD’s current scripts, but fundamentally the show is not going anywhere.
With Season 2 around the corner, I anticipate the next few months will provide us with the clarity we need in regards to the future of our beloved Timey-Wimey show.
But if history has taught us anything, it’s that Doctor Who is far from finished. Don’t let more tabloid rhetoric worry you about the show’s future, the reality is far different from the doom-mongering narratives being spun.
New episodes of Doctor Who arrive on Disney+ and BBC iPlayer later this year.
