Ncuti Gatwa has issued a statement today, addressing what happened on the episode of Doctor Who that just released this week—i.e., him apparently being put out of a job, as the Doctor once again regenerated, this time into the familiar form of former cast member Billie Piper.
“You know when you get cast, at some point you are going to have to hand back that sonic screwdriver and it is all going to come to an end,” Gatwa said in a statement, reported on by BBC News. “But nothing quite prepares you for it.” Gatwa, who spent two seasons as the Doctor, added his thanks to the Who community for welcoming him in, saying, “I’ve loved every minute of it, but now is the time to hand over the keys to that beloved blue box and let someone else take control and enjoy it every bit as much as I have. I’ll truly miss it, and forever be grateful to it, and everyone that has played a part in my journey as the Doctor.”
The major shift in casting comes as Disney is reportedly re-evaluating its relationship with the show, after reports of low ratings. (Disney+ acquired the international broadcast rights to the series ahead of the beginning of Gatwa’s tenure, reportedly for a 26-episode commitment.) There have been rumors that the series might undergo some kind of major hiatus—potentially akin to the one that basically ended the original run of the show in 1989—although the BBC has attempted to downplay that possibility. (That being said, showrunner Russell T. Davies has said decisions about whether another season would be ordered are being held until the reception to Gatwa’s second season can be tracked.)
If the series does end, it’ll do so on a pretty bizarre cliffhanger: The show didn’t come out and say Piper—the first companion of the modern Who era—was playing the 16th Doctor, instead crediting her with a simple, cheeky, “And introducing…” credit. Piper gave her own statement today, saying, “It’s no secret how much I love this show, and I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse as I have some of my best memories there, so to be given the opportunity to step back on that Tardis one more time was just something I couldn’t refuse, but who, how, why and when, you’ll just have to wait and see.”
