Ncuti Gatwa says he left Doctor Who as ‘I am getting old and my body was tired'
In May, during his final episode as the 15th Doctor, Gatwa appeared to be replaced by former Doctor Who companion Billie Piper when his character regenerated.
Gatwa told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: 'I'm getting old, and my body was tired… and I've now just started doing some ballet, so I'm making really great decisions.
'It's the most amazing job in the world, a job that any actor would dream of and – because it's so good – it's strenuous.
'It takes a lot out of you, physically, emotionally, mentally, and so it was time.'
Asked if he would ever come back to the show, he said: 'Never say never.'
Ncuti Gatwa and showrunner Russell T Davies attending the premiere of Doctor Who season two (Ian West/PA)
Barbie star Gatwa has played the Doctor since Tennant's Time Lord bi-generated in 2023, after his version of the alien character was brought back to the series as the 14th Doctor.
Gatwa was expected to be the UK's spokesperson at the Eurovision Song Contest in May but pulled out, with speculation the decision was connected to controversy surrounding Israel's participation in the competition.
'It all panned out very interestingly. I pulled out of it a long time before it was announced', he said.
'And it was announced when it was announced, I don't know why, but I was just very busy.
'Just had a lot of work schedules, a lot of press around The Roses, around Doctor (Who).'
Ncuti Gatwa arrives for the European premiere of Barbie (Ian West/PA)
Asked about the speculation surrounding his withdrawal, Gatwa, who did not watch this year's competition, said: 'I was just very busy.'
The actor appeared on the Sunday morning news show to discuss the West End premiere of Born With Teeth, a play that re-imagines the relationship between rival playwrights Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare.
Gatwa plays Marlowe with his Sex Education co-star Edward Bluemel as Shakespeare in the Royal Shakespeare Company production at London's Wyndham's Theatre from August.
'It's a really great story between these two huge literary icons, and it's very exciting to imagine what could have happened in a room together', he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
30 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Snow Patrol shout out iconic Glasgow venue at TRNSMT
Dedicating Chasing Cars to Glasgow, Gary Lightbody (lead singer) of Snow Patrol, thanked King Tut's Wah Wah Hut for helping them when they were first starting out and living in the city. Gary told the crowd: "When we first moved to Glasgow in 1998, we would rock up to the front of King Tut's with our guitars and ask if we could play on the stage after the doors opened. "Every time they would let us play, they would also feed us. When you're a new band who are just starting out, stuff like that means the world. So, I would like to thank every place in Glasgow that helped us like Tut's and Nice N Sleazy. "I also want to shout out all the amazing bands from Glasgow too. There are too many to name." (Image: Picture credit: Lesley Martin/PA Wire) The Northern Irish–Scottish rock band, who formed in Dundee back in 1994, declared that playing in Glasgow felt like coming home. Speaking on the importance of the city to the band, Gary said: "This city was a big part of our life and is a really important part of our journey as a band." (Image: Picture credit: Lesley Martin/PA Wire) Having lived in the city for 10 years, they wrote some of their biggest hits here, such as Run. During their hour and a bit set, the group played their big hits as well as a song from their new album as Gary humorously told the crowd: "It was going to happen at some point. Don't panic, nobody panic." (Image: Picture credit: Lesley Martin/PA Wire) Perhaps the best part of Snow Patrol's set though was the joy on the band's faces. I couldn't help but smile as a huge grin spread across Gary's face every time the crowd sung the lyrics back to him. He was buzzing, thrilled and any other positive word you could think of. But most of all, there was a look of thankfulness and gratitude to be in Glasgow, to be on that main stage and to be headlining this festival. You could see Gary taking it all in, as if he was having his own 'I made it' moment. There's something beautiful about seeing a globally renowned band feeling so appreciated by our city. But, it's what we do best, isn't it? Making people feel at home, appreciating what they have to offer to us and of course, enjoying live music. I can't say I was particularly a fan of the band before the show, nor had I ever really listened to them, but Snow Patrol's set made me want to devour their albums and immerse myself in their sound. Though I said I wasn't particularly a fan of the band before the show, I certainly am now.
Daily Mail
44 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
'Woke' Netflix bosses axe iconic scene from Pride and Prejudice remake to 'avoid objectifying men'
Netflix bosses have axed an iconic moment from Pride and Prejudice in a new 'woke' move to avoid 'objectifying men'. The unforgettable scene of Mr Darcy - played by Colin Firth - emerging from a lake was all the rage in 1995. But show bosses have confirmed it will not resurface in the forthcoming version of the rom-com. According to reports, many fans will be disappointed as the famous BBC scene is said to have 'got millions of women hot under the collar'. A source told The Sun: 'It is also credited for sparking subsequent moments of male objectification on screen - likes Aidan Turner's famous topless scything scene in Poldark.' It's claimed that Netflix bosses 'don't want a repeat'. The saucy scene soon became one of the most favourite TV scenes, however it didn't actually feature in Jane Austen's original 1813 story. Arguably the most iconic wet shirt ever worn sold at auction for £25,000 - double its estimated sale price. The famous scene turned Oscar-winner Firth into a sex symbol and also rocketed the shirt's sale price 30 years later, after auctioneers estimated it would be sold for between £7,000 and £10,000. The sale contained costumes archived by Cosprop, a costume house founded by Oscar-winning designer John Bright in 1965. Oscar-winner Firth played Fitzwilliam Darcy in the 1995 BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's novel, opposite Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet - who is surprised when she visits his estate, Pemberley, to find him wet and not properly dressed. The moment has been re-imagined in Netflix series Bridgerton, when British actor Jonathan Bailey steps out of a lake, and was also referenced in Bridget Jones's Diary, which stars Firth as another Mr Darcy, a nod to his portrayal by writer Helen Fielding. The famous 'wet shirt' was designed by renowned costume designer Dinah Collin and then made by Cosprop. Cosprop's general manager Chris Garlick said multiple versions of the shirt were made as it was worn in wet and dry scenes, and in case of re-takes. The whereabouts of three fully verified shirts are known, according to Kerry Taylor. Almost 30 years after the scene first aired, the now dry shirt was sold for a hammer price of £20,000, with the buyer's premium of £5,000 taking the overall total to £25,000, all of which will go to charity. Costumes from TV drama series including Poldark, Peaky Blinders and Downton Abbey also went under the hammer.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Ncuti Gatwa, 32, reveals he quit Doctor Who because he feels he is getting 'too old' and his 'body feels tired'
At 32, he is hardly over the hill. Yet Doctor Who actor Ncuti Gatwa yesterday said he stepped away from the role because he is 'old, tired... and doing ballet instead'. Ncuti became the first black actor to lead the BBC show and was hailed for bringing fresh energy to the Time Lord – but after two series he has called time on the role. It comes amid reports of behind-the-scenes tension and a Eurovision controversy that saw the actor withdraw from presenting the British votes. Speaking to Laura Kuenssberg about leaving Doctor Who, the actor said: 'I'm getting old, and my body was tired... and I've now just started doing some ballet, so I'm making really great decisions.' Ncuti admitted the demands of Doctor Who left him drained 'physically, emotionally, mentally'. However, he described the role as 'the most amazing job in the world' and said 'never say never' when asked if he could return in the future. Ncuti is one of the youngest actors to have played the Doctor, with Matt Smith taking on the role at 26, Peter Davison at 29 and David Tennant at 34. Jodie Whittaker was 35 when she joined the show, while William Hartnell and Peter Capaldi were both 55 when they became the Time Lord. Ncuti's exit follows speculation over his decision to pull out of presenting the UK's Eurovision Song Contest results in May, with suggestions it was linked to Israel's participation in the contest during the conflict in Gaza. Addressing the rumours, he said: 'It all panned out very interestingly. I pulled out of it a long time before it was announced. 'And [I don't know why] it was announced when it was announced but I was just very busy.' Ncuti's final Doctor Who appearance aired in May and he will now star in the West End show Born With Teeth. This comes after the BBC issued a statement after livid Doctor Who fans complained about an episode being 'spoiled'. Doctor Who's 15th season wrapped up last month and saw Ncuti depart as the Time Lord in the series' finale. Ncuti's character regenerated into Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) in scenes that sent viewers into a meltdown. However, some fans voiced concerns that the episode was ruined because the BBC News site published an article with the headline: 'Ncuti Gatwa regenerates into Billie Piper as he leaves Doctor Who'. A spoiler warning was then written underneath, but many felt the headline spoiled the ending. Since then, the broadcaster has acknowledged the complaints and explained the reasoning behind the story. The statement read: 'Some people contacted us to complain that the headline gave away the ending, spoiling this Doctor Who episode for them. 'Others requested that the BBC be more conscious of spoilers going forward, particularly in the use of headlines. 'Ncuti Gatwa's departure from the series had been widely speculated and many fans will have been aware that this was a possibility. 'The headline on the news homepage that evening referred to Ncuti Gatwa's departure because this was a legitimate entertainment news story in its own right, and it is not unusual that we would carry this type of story once a programme has been broadcast and the details in the public domain.' It went on to reveal details of the regeneration was added in later on in the evening. The statement continued: 'While we cannot account for everyone's viewing habits, we initially held back from headlining the announcement of Ncuti Gatwa's regeneration into Billie Piper. 'This extra detail was added later in the evening and our approach was consistent across the BBC site. 'BBC journalists are of course entitled to use their judgement to decide which stories to cover and the manner in which they are reported. We also want our headlines to be as informative as possible. 'Although every story is different, we have discussed your concerns on this occasion with senior editors and we will be mindful of your views for future coverage.' When the episode aired, devout Whovians were not expecting the huge twist at the end when Ncuti's character regenerated into Rose amid his departure after just two series as woke storylines saw ratings for the much-loved show plunge. Billie first starred as the companion to the ninth Doctor in 2005, playing Rose Tyler alongside Christopher Eccleston's Time Lord. She went onto star alongside David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor in the second series. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, fans were quick to share their reaction to Billie's shock comeback, with one even asking: ''Did my eyes actually deceive me?!' Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
