It was recently revealed by outgoing Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall that Thirteenth Doctor, Jodie Whittaker, will bid farewell to the franchise in a special that airs this October. Next year, we know David Tennant will be back as his fan-favourite Time Lord, albeit under the watchful eye of the man who brought the series back from oblivion in 2005, Russell T. Davies.
However, we could see Ncuti Gatwa's Fourteenth Doctor a tad sooner than expected.
According to The Hollywood Reporter (via SFFGazette.com), the Sex Education star looks set to begin filming this November. The trade notes that, along with the special starring Tennant, "there may be as many as three episodes" next year.
It's also said there's "speculation that Gatwa will appear in 2023’s celebrations, a move that could see Tennant’s incarnation of the Doctor regenerate into Gatwa's." Unfortunately, the trade doesn't share any more, noting: "details about the special, as with most things Doctor Who, are being kept tightly under wraps by the BBC."
Common sense says we'll see Gatwa's Doctor at some point next year, and with Neil Patrick Harris hinting that his villain comes face-to-face with this latest iteration, we should be in store for an epic three-part story. A new series will likely launch in 2024 with Gatwa, who will next be seen alongside Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie in Barbie.
It's an exciting time to be a Doctor Who fan, and we're intrigued to see this new era of storytelling take shape as it seems fair to say Gatwa will put a fresh spin on the Time Lord. He's the first Black actor to play the character, and it sounds like this next iteration is also going to explore his sexuality in a way we haven't necessarily seen before.
What do you hope to see from Doctor Who in 2023? Sound off below.