The BBC has announced that Jodie Whittaker’s replacement in the role of the Doctor on Doctor Who will be 29-year-old Scottish-Rwandan actor Ncuti Gatwa. Gatwa came to public attention with his portrayal of Eric Effiong on the Netflix series Sex Education, which earned him a Scottish BAFTA award and several Television BAFTA nominations. It's a noteworthy resume, but not a lengthy one - but then Matt Smith was three years younger and even less of a known quantity when he became the Doctor in 2010.
There's been a bit of backtracking as eager reports of Gatwa being the first black actor to play the Doctor were retracted in favour of "cast to play the Doctor on a permanent ongoing basis" or similar circumlocutions in order to recognize Jo Martin's stern depiction of the Fugitive Doctor* for the last three seasons of Doctor Who.
Regardless, Gatwa's casting in the role represents yet another milestone, and demonstrates the flexibility of the concept behind the Doctor. As we move into the future, the Doctor may be the perfect cultural touchstone for a new generation: fluid in gender, race and sexual orientation.
...naw, who am I kidding, it's going to be Loki, isn't it.
- Sid
* I actually would have been quite happy to see her continue in the role full-time as a result of the upcoming regeneration, but I gather the current explanation is that she's the original incarnation of the Doctor. Sigh...it's been a confusing few years with Chris Chibnall in charge.
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