No offence to Matt Smith and Tom Baker, but take one look at the new Doctor Who Ncuti Gatwa, who debuted in his first full episode on Saturday, and you notice one thing: his very impressive muscles. Gatwa’s pecs put the Tardis’s previous owners to shame.
That’s no accident, says David Higgins, the personal trainer who guided Gatwa to his current state of brawniness. “His goal was to be the first buff Doctor, to give the audience something a bit different from a physicality perspective, and I think he’s definitely achieved it,” Higgins says proudly.
So what are Higgins and Gatwa’s secrets? Hard work, and their time together making the Barbie movie, mostly. Higgins explains that his method focuses on core body control, and he bases a lot of his moves on Pilates. There’s a base weights programme with repetitions that are challenging, but not ridiculously heavy. Meanwhile, his cardio sessions similarly involve 25 minutes of a mix of things like squat thrusts and mountain climbers.
Higgins has experience on set with the biggest stars. Director Matthew Vaughn, husband of Claudia Schiffer, asked him to train the actors on his Kingsman series, including Samuel L Jackson. He also worked on the Avengers films, and met Margot Robbie on The Legend of Tarzan set. Through her, he went onto Barbie, where he linked up with Gatwa.
Barbie was no holiday for Gatwa and his fellow Ken Ryan Gosling, says Higgins. “I needed to get the Kens into Ken shape. Ncuti was a very willing participant.” That’s lucky, because the regime sounds brutal. “We trained every day, which included pilates, a base weights programme, and strengthening and conditioning. And then all the Kens did lots of dance rehearsals too.”
Gatwa didn’t have a break between Barbie and shooting Doctor Who, which means his exercising didn’t cease either. But Higgins is also keen that his stars take a rest too: for him it’s not just about “killing yourself in the gym”. That means a treatment in the infrared sauna, ice bath or massage. “Recovery is the other side of the coin. We see so many crazy moves on Instagram… but before I do anything, I always ask myself ‘what’s the risk v the reward here?’” Higgins says. “Ultimately, things that look cool for the ‘gram aren’t important for what I need to do”.
Higgins is aware too of the changing standards for male bodies. “The expectation for men has changed drastically in the last 20 years. Remember that Indiana Jones physique from the Eighties? It’s so different now, what with the rise of superhero movies and social media.”
Higgins doesn’t take all the credit, saying Gatwa was already an “impeccable specimen” when they met. He also tries not to put too much pressure on clients to get too ripped. “I generally go about my work with the goal not of achieving a specific physique, but rather having my clients live their healthiest lives: to be great at their jobs, clear of mind, and focused,” he says. “The muscles are a happy by-product.”
Higgins puts workouts on his YouTube channel, where monthly membership to access the full library starts at £35, but which offers free options. He admits that even he finds it hard to train all the time. “I’m 41, I’m a dad of three, so sleep deprivation is a real thing, and trying to maintain any kind of healthy lifestyle is very challenging,” he says. Gatwa really put the work in.
