Doctor Who: Will BBC sci-fi show return - is Ncuti Gatwa leaving? Speculation over future of the show and what the BBC has said so far
Speculation is rife over the future of Doctor Who as the show’s second revival series prepares to draw to a close.
The BBC’s flagship sci-fi drama will air the first part of its two-parter finale on Saturday evening (May 24) following last week’s huge Rani revelation. Viewers were shocked as it was revealed that the mysterious Mrs Flood had been The Rani, a renegade Time Lord who first appeared in the show in 1985, all along.
While avid fans of the show are gearing up for an exciting two-part finale, questions remain over the future of the show amid reports of waning viewing figures. The Sun has also reported that Ncuti Gatwa, who plays the 15th Doctor, has been “axed” from the show amid rumours that the former Sex Education star could be calling time on his stint in the Tardis.
But what do we know so far - is Doctor Who returning? Is the 15th Doctor regenerating? Here’s everything we’ve been told so far.
Has Doctor Who been cancelled?
There has been no official announcement from the BBC on the future of Doctor Who.
The new revival series, which began in 2023 with David Tennant’s return in a series of special to celebrate the show’s 60th anniversary, was made in collaboration between the BBC and Disney. As part of the deal, the specials and the regular series have been broadcast internationally on Disney+.
Reports suggest that Disney will not renew its deal beyond the 26-episode deal. However, the Mirror reports that the BBC are likely to continue its commitment to Doctor Who even if Disney drops out of the multi-million dollar deal.
Showrunner Russell T Davies has allegedly planned out the next two series of the show, but there could be a length break until around 2027. A show insider told The Mirror: “Whether or not Disney stays, the expectation is that the show will continue.
“Yes, there will be a gap while the scripts are finalised, the episodes are filmed and the editing process takes place. But we’ll be back. The wait won’t be forever, just a big pause.”
The BBC has said in a statement: “As we have previously stated, the decision on season 3 will be made after season 2 airs and any other claims are just pure speculation. The deal with Disney+ was for 26 episodes – and we still have an entire spin off, The War Between the Land and the Sea, to air.”
Is Ncuti Gatwa leaving Doctor Who?
Speculation over Ncuti Gatwa’s reported departure from Doctor Who has been rife for weeks. The Sun reports that the star has been “axed” from the show, with Ncuti’s withdrawal from presenting the UK’s jury points at last weekend’s Eurovision Song Contest final described as the “final nail in the coffin”.
A source told the website: “If the final nail wasn’t already in the coffin, it was well and truly hammered in after that. Bosses were incredibly disappointed. Ncuti, as the Doctor, is one of the corporation’s most high-profile faces.”
However, BBC bosses have remained quite, describing the rumours as “pure speculation”. The broadcaster said: “We never comment on the Doctor and future storylines.”