'Doctor Who' in trouble? Ncuti Gatwa's exit might end series
What's the story
The iconic British sci-fi series, Doctor Who is reportedly on the verge of cancelation. The uncertainty stems from rumors of lead actor Ncuti Gatwa's possible exit after just two seasons. The show has recently witnessed a major ratings drop due to fans' discontent with its "woke storylines." Gatwa, who became the first Black actor to play The Doctor in 2023, is allegedly leaving the BBC show.
Departure details
Gatwa's exit scene already filmed, relocation plans underway
Reportedly, Gatwa has already filmed his regeneration exit scene—a development that has sparked fears among the crew about the series' future after 62 years. An insider told The Sun, "Ncuti doesn't want to be tied to the series beyond this and plans to relocate to LA with several Hollywood projects standing by for him." This move is seen as an effort by Gatwa's team to avoid any negative impact on his future work due to fan backlash from the series.
Show's status
'Doctor Who' ratings slump and future uncertainty
Gatwa's first series as The Doctor drew between 2.25 million and 3.18 million viewers, a major drop from previous seasons. However, a Doctor Who spokesperson said, "Doctor Who has not been shelved." They added the decision on Season 3 will be taken after Season 2 airs, explaining the Disney+ deal was for 26 episodes, half of which are yet to be broadcast.
Future uncertainty
'Doctor Who' future in doubt since October
The future of Doctor Who has remained uncertain since October, with questions about whether Gatwa will return for a third season. It was revealed there would be a gap of at least two years after his second outing as the titular character next year, leading to speculation the Scottish actor might not return at all. This speculation was further fueled when a comment about Gatwa filming the third season next year was edited out from Graham Norton's BBC chat show.
Ratings drop
'Doctor Who' ratings slump despite ambitious Disney deal
Despite an ambitious deal with Disney—rumored to be worth $100 million—each episode airs on BBC iPlayer at midnight on Fridays to appease US viewers before being shown on its traditional Saturday teatime slot on terrestrial television. However, this strategy resulted in a slump in viewers overall. The final episode attracted only 2.02 million viewers—a sharp drop from Jodie Whittaker's final outing as the first female Doctor, watched by 3.7 million in real-time.