The Doctor Who news cycle has been rampant since the season finale, to the point that Ncuti Gatwa's exit has somewhat flown under the radar. Granted, the signs were there before it officially happened, but amid the excitement about Billie Piper's return to the franchise and uncertainty about the series' future, Gatwa is discussing his reasons for leaving earlier than fans might have expected.
As the odds look increasingly slim that we'll be watching the future new episodes with a Disney+ subscription, Ncuti Gatwa was on Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg talking about his exit from the acclaimed sci-fi series. The actor elaborated a bit more on why he left, after an initial goodbye message to fans back in June. Said the actor,
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.
I can't blame Ncuti Gatwa, even if there were older actors and actresses who starred in Doctor Who before him. Almost every one of them has said at one point it was a demanding role, and with all the running, climbing, jumping, and crying he had to do in two seasons, I'd say he was one of the more physical actors to play the Doctor in the modern era.
Of course, the obvious follow-up was whether he'd ever consider a return in the future. While David Tennant has stopped by a few times since leaving, and even Jodie Whittaker made a recent cameo, it's not a given that all Doctors will return following their departure. Peter Capaldi still has yet to return, and Christopher Eccleston hasn't either. So, what did Ncuti Gatwa say when asked if he'd ever come back?
Never say never.
I'll take that answer, especially given how fresh his exit still is. I mean, it's also a non-answer, and maybe a kind way of saying, "It's the furthest thing from my mind." At the same time, his exit was just shown, and Doctor Who doesn't even have a release date for its next season. Why should he have to give us a definitive answer on if or when he'll return?
As mentioned, we're still waiting to see when Doctor Who will get renewed, and what studio/streamer the BBC will partner with to co-produce the next season. While unconfirmed, it's been heavily rumored that Disney will drop its half of the co-production, leaving the door open for another collaborating company to jump in.
That said, one can imagine that Ncuti Gatwa's tenure as The Doctor will live on Disney+ for a while. Assuming that wherever the series lands next doesn't buy the rights to those episodes, it'll remain available for the time being alongside David Tennant and Catherine Tate's episodes they teamed up for in the 60th anniversary specials.
Doctor Who is currently streaming its latest two seasons and anniversary specials on Disney+, and the rest of the modern reboot is available to stream with a HBO Max subscription. Enjoy it on streaming while you can, because by the end of July, a bulk of the library will leave Max.
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