Ncuti Gatwa hosted Saturday Night Live UK for the freshman series' first season finale, and while the sketch comedy already parodied Doctor Who the week prior, the former Doctor brought up the show during his opening monologue. Unfortunately, the jokes Gatwa made seemed to have struck a nerve, and I find myself agreeing with all sides on this one.
Gatwa's monologue (as seen on YouTube) was short, sweet, referenced his Netflix series Sex Education, and also featured White Lotus vet Aimee Lou Wood. The part most fans are talking about, however, is the chunk about Doctor Who, which poked fun at everything from low ratings to The Doctor's emotional side to the twist ending to his final season. Here's how he put it:
And then about 12 of you watched me in Doctor Who. Hey, maybe that's why I kept crying. Joking aside, it was genuinely a magical role. In fact, it was the first time my parents were truly proud of my career. When I told them I got the part, they said, 'Finally, a doctor in the family.' And even though I have since regenerated into Billy Piper, I don't understand it either. I still love Doctor Who.
I think it's important to note that Saturday Night Live monologues are traditionally written by a writing staff, and while actors may contribute, it's not like we're hearing Ncuti Gatwa speak from the heart. Despite that, some Doctor Who fans had a reaction to the snarky comment about Billie Piper taking over in his place, and had a lot to say both against and in support:
- Mind you he only regenerated into billie piper bc he decided to leave the show early & they had to reshoot - @georgegriffiths
- He left because Disney wouldn't renew on time for them to begin work on the next season.He didn't just want to sit in production limbo waiting for Disney to do something, and new roles came up elsewhere and so he took them. The root cause is Disney being bastards - @OswinOswald223
- Mind you as well, it wasn’t his idea to regenerate into Billie Piper. Negotiating could’ve been done. They could’ve had him leave in a special, or idk find another actor to take on the role. It’s still RTD who decided to nostalgia slop and pick Billie to generate content. - @boy_temperature
- Right, they had no choice but to cast her as the next doctor, there was simply nothing else they could do! they couldn't possibly cast someone else no they had to cast her! - @wiresandchains_
- Billie Piper is an absolute icon honestly so i am not mad - @Sofieeoh
For Doctor Who fans who aren't quite as dialed in, the debate here is centered on the circumstances that led to Ncuti Gatwa's exit as The Doctor. While Gatwa officially said the physical demands of the role were too challenging, it was heavily rumored at the time that Gatwa decided to exit after Disney balked at an immediate greenlight for a third season, wanting to continue working rather than wait around. Gatwa took a role in theater shortly before the character's official exit, and reshoots, changing the ending of what would be his final season, gave credence to the rumor.
Now, Billie Piper is allegedly The Doctor, though there are already rumors she was more of a last-minute placeholder and that the real next regeneration of The Doctor could show up when the series returns for the Christmas special set for the 2026 TV schedule. Additionally, we still don't have an official return date for the next season of Doctor Who, so personally, I think Ncuti Gatwa made the right call to bow out.
I also understand fan frustration, because it feels like Ncuti Gatwa willingly signed on to kick Doctor Who while it's down. While The BBC remains committed (for now) to continuing the series, it feels as though there's some desperation to try to get more eyes watching it. It's hard not to imagine that eventually the series could get cancelled again, if not go on an extended hiatus.
The last thing I'd point out is that Ncuti Gatwa said he still loved Doctor Who, and I think it's a good show of character to both love something and be able to poke fun at it. Plus, one might argue this is the time the series is most deserving of criticism, as we await to hear what the official plan is for the future. That, and when The War Between the Land and the Sea is going to be available in the United States, because I'm growing impatient!
As mentioned, Doctor Who will return around Christmas time with another holiday special. I assume it'll drop on the actual holiday, but with HBO's new Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone show also slated for that day, I wouldn't be surprised if we see it pop up sooner.
