Former Doctor Who star Matt Smith has given his verdict on his latest successor for the role Ncuti Gatwa following his debut on the show last year.
Smith, 41, appeared in the BBC sci-fi series from 2010 to 2013 as the 11th incarnation of the Doctor, while Rwandan-Scottish actor Gatwa, 31, is the 15th and latest star to take on the role.
“I always keep my eye on Doctor Who. I think [Ncuti’s] great, he’s totally made for it,” Smith said during an interview with the BBC Radio 4 Today Programme on Wednesday.
Adding: “I dropped him a line and said ‘well done’”.
It’s not the first time that Smith has sung Gatwa’s praises.
He was equally as enthusiastic when news of the Barbie star’s casting was first announced back in 2022, telling Variety: “I think it’s the most sensational bit of casting. What an actor – he’s brilliant in Sex Education.
“I think he’s got something ‘other’ that that part really needs.”
Other actors who have starred in the coveted role have also reacted positively to Gatwa taking up the mantle.
Peter Capaldi, who played the 12th Doctor, predicted Gatwa would be “amazing” in a 2022 interview with STV.
“What a great story – a little boy whose family escaped from the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 and at age two, finds refuge in Scotland, where he grows up to become Doctor Who,” he told the publication.
“That’s a story to be proud [of]. With his huge talent and heart, I know Ncuti will make an amazing Doctor. How exciting.”
