By Lewis Knight

Published: Sunday, 08 May 2022 at 12:00 am


After months of endless speculation, we finally have our Fourteenth Doctor.

Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa has been cast in The Doctor in Doctor Who.

The actor will be taking over from Jodie Whittaker who has played the role since 2017 and who will depart the long-running sci-fi series in 2022.

Gatwa will be the first Black male lead to take on the role of the time-travelling hero in the new episodes from returning showrunner Russell T. Davies.

So, just who is Ncuti Gatwa and where have you seen him before? Here is all you need to know.

Who is Ncuti Gatwa?

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Ncuti Gatwa attends the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards at The Royal Festival Hall on May 08, 2022 in London, England.

Ncuti Gatwa is a Rwandan-Scottish actor best known for his breakout role as Eric Effiong in Netflix teen comedy Sex Education.

The actor has received three BAFTA TV Award nominations for the role and has also won a BAFTA Scotland Award for his performance in the series.

On Sunday 8th May 2022 it was announced that Gatwa had been cast as the Fourteenth Doctor in Doctor Who, taking over from Jodie Whittaker.

He is expected to make his debut during the centenary special in October.

How old is Ncuti Gatwa?

Ncuti Gatwa is 29-years-old.

He was born on 15th October 1992.

What nationality is Ncuti Gatwa?

Ncuti Gatwa is Rwandan-Scottish.

He was born in Nyarugenge, Kigali, Rwanda, and raised primarily in Edinburgh and Dunfermline in Scotland.

Is Ncuti Gatwa on Instagram?

Yes, you can find Ncuti Gatwa’s Instagram profile with the handle @ncutigatwa.

At present, Gatwa has 2.6 million followers.

It was on Instagram that the actor first teased his casting in Doctor Who with an image of four emojis: two hearts, a plus sign and a blue box.

Is Ncuti Gatwa on Twitter?

At present, Ncuti Gatwa is not on Twitter.

What has Ncuti Gatwa starred in?

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Eric (Ncuti Gatwa) in Sex Education season 3
Sam Taylor/Netflix

Ncuti Gatwa rose to prominence after he made his debut as Eric Effiong in the Netflix comedy series Sex Education in 2019.

Prior to this role, Gatwa had appeared in the BBC sitcom Bob Servant (2014) and the TV adaptation of the novel Stonemouth (2015).

He has also appeared in the 2019 film Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans and the 2021 film The Last Letter from Your Lover.

In 2023, Gatwa can be seen in the Greta Gerwig film Barbie opposite Margot Robbie in the titular role and Ryan Gosling as Ken.

Also starring in the film are his Sex Education colleagues Emma Mackey (Maeve Wiley) and Connor Swindells (Adam Groff).

What has Ncuti Gatwa said about joining Doctor Who?

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Ncuti Gatwa and Russell T Davies attend the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards at The Royal Festival Hall on May 08, 2022 in London, England.
Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images

Upon being announced by the BBC as the Fourteenth Doctor, a statement was shared from Ncuti Gatwa.

The actor said: “There aren’t quite the words to describe how I’m feeling. A mix of deeply honoured, beyond excited and of course a little bit scared. This role and show means so much to so many around the world, including myself, and each one of my incredibly talented predecessors has handled that unique responsibility and privilege with the utmost care. I will endeavour my upmost to do the same.

“Russell T Davies is almost as iconic as the Doctor himself and being able to work with him is a dream come true. His writing is dynamic, exciting, incredibly intelligent and fizzing with danger. An actor’s metaphorical playground. The entire team have been so welcoming and truly give their hearts to the show. And so as much as it’s daunting, I’m aware I’m joining a really supportive family. Unlike the Doctor, I may only have one heart but I am giving it all to this show.”

Speaking on BBC News at the BAFTA TV Awards, Gatwa revealed he was cast as the Doctor in February 2022, admititng it was “tricky” keeping it “under wraps”.

Davies described Gatwa’s audition as “blazing” and called it “the very last” audition for the part that he saw.

Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. For more, check out our dedicated Sci-Fi page or our full TV Guide.

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