DOCTOR WHO Star Ncuti Gatwa, 32, Says He Quit The Troubled Series Because "I'm Getting Old"

Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa has talked more about his decision to leave the series after such a brief stint in the TARDIS, and weighs in on the possibility of Billie Piper taking over as the Doctor...

News

By JoshWilding - Jul 14, 2025 04:07 PM EST

Filed Under: Doctor Who

Source: SFFGazette.com

Doctor Who's future is very much up in the air, with neither the BBC nor Disney+ willing to confirm whether reports that their partnership has ended are correct.

We'd imagine an official split will happen after The War Between the Land and the Sea's release, as the spin-off marks what's likely to be the last collaboration between the British broadcaster and global streaming platform. Big changes are obviously on the horizon, and rumours continue to swirl that the BBC is in talks with multiple potential new streaming partners.

Whatever happens, we will eventually get a new Doctor. Ncuti Gatwa departed the series after only two seasons and a couple of Christmas specials, though we've heard rumblings he would have stuck around for a third batch of episodes had the Time Lord's fate not been left in limbo.

Appearing on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg this weekend, Gatwa was asked about leaving Doctor Who and blamed it on being too old...at just 32.

"I’m getting old. My body was tired. My body, my knee. And I’ve now just started doing some ballet. So I’m making really great decisions here," the actor explained (via SFFGazette.com). "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. Takes a lot out of you physically, emotionally, and mentally. So, it was time."

Pushed on whether he'd return to Doctor Who like so many former Doctors before him, Gatwa replied, "Never say never."

In a separate interview with Nick Robinson's BBC Radio 4 programme Today, the actor made it clear he's in the dark when it comes to the show's future (including whether Billie Piper really is playing the next Doctor).

"I've finished playing Doctor Who, we all saw the gold sparkle - or did we, I don't know?" Gatwa teased. "I just don't know who the next Doctor Who is, but it's certainly not me."

That echoes comments from Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies, who recently told Your Manchester, "I have no idea," when he was asked whether Piper—best known for playing the Doctor's companion Rose Tyler—is the new Doctor. Okay, then.

Will Davies be allowed to reveal his plan for the returning Rose (it likely has something to do with the heart of the TARDIS), or will a new showrunner start over, with just a throwaway mention of that familiar face's return before shifting focus to a new era of storytelling? That remains to be seen.

If Davies isn't brought back, and it seems doubtful given the declining ratings and backlash to "woke" storylines, he's left his successor with quite a cliffhanger to figure out.

Stay tuned for more on Doctor Who as we have it.

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23 Comments

harryba11zack - 7/14/2025, 4:16 PM

Spike101 - 7/14/2025, 4:19 PM

🤣🤣🤣🤣 Let’s face it he quit because he realised he and the direction the series was going were both unpopular.

AwesomePromoz - 7/14/2025, 4:38 PM

@Spike101 - He probably means what we all know, which is that the series has gotten old. It needs a rest for a bit, like it had in the late 90s.

Spike101 - 7/14/2025, 5:09 PM

@AwesomePromoz - I think it just needs setting back to how it was originally intended to be with a slightly eccentric doctor with a couple of assistants along for the ride, ditch all the D&I rubbish. And above all it’s aim at families and just scary enough to have the kids hiding behind the sofa when the Daleks appeared as we did when we were young.

SteviesRightFoo - 7/14/2025, 4:23 PM

32 is old? Soft bastard

Apophis71 - 7/14/2025, 4:28 PM

@SteviesRightFoo - Probably a joke, fits his sense of humor completely esp when he doesn't want to answer a question more directly for whatever reason :D

Apophis71 - 7/14/2025, 4:26 PM

Honestly expect at some point they will do a one off Christmas special with Billy, maybe a two parter with New Year too, and use that to bring in the actual new episodic Doctor. No Doctor is ever truly gone for good so Gatwa will turn up at some point I'm sure, how and when would be an open question as things stand.

Shame how things ended up, loved him in the role but this is the sort of scenario (including some of the creative decisions) many of us feared could occur going the US collab route again after how things panned out with Paul McGann and Torchwood.

As such I'd far prefer they went back to lower budget BBC on their own with Bad Wolf then cash in selling streaming rights after/on the side rather than full collab again.

TheVisionary25 - 7/14/2025, 5:12 PM

@Apophis71 - I wouldn’t mind if they do that again but apparently it’s not as viable anymore due to internal issues at the BBC.

Apophis71 - 7/14/2025, 5:57 PM

@TheVisionary25 - The way finances work at the Beeb have been stoopid for the longest time, as in if selling a show or rights to the IP they can't/don't invest that back into the IP, tends to go into the world service budget that the government forces them to have but has never allocated enough funds to for how much the MP's demand of it.

dracula - 7/14/2025, 4:28 PM

Of all the actors they could have cast, they cast an actor too much of a wimp to handle stuff every other doctor has done

And that includes David Bradley who was older than the actor he replaced was when he ever played the role

Ha1frican - 7/14/2025, 4:28 PM

Ohhhh he was fired lol

dracula - 7/14/2025, 4:33 PM

William Hartnell was a dying and possibly senile old man when he played the 1st doctor for the final time

Was all in for doing The Three Doctors

Was his wife who told the BBC he wasnt in good enough health to do the full episode.

He still put in the effort to do whatever possibly in the episode (and was very beliebable for something shot in a small studio with him reading off cards, against nobody)

Malatrova15 - 7/14/2025, 4:41 PM

@dracula - yes but this doctor is Special and diverse so respect is at hand

dragon316 - 7/14/2025, 4:50 PM

32 is consider old my ass I’m 44 stuff he does in show I can do same as him be his stunt double 32 to old he want to retire say it don’t give pathetic excuse 32 is to old Jackie Chan is older to him he still does his stunts only old as you feel

Fogs - 7/14/2025, 4:57 PM

Yeah sure jan.

CreateNowSlpL8r - 7/14/2025, 4:59 PM

This is the best part:
"My body, my knee. And I’ve now just started doing some ballet"

Your body and knee hurt so you are doing ballet?

MrDandy - 7/14/2025, 5:16 PM

Ah yes, a role largely played by 50-60 year old men for half its runtime is WAY to physically stressful for a 32 year old.

TheVisionary25 - 7/14/2025, 5:17 PM

Honestly , actors who have played The Doctor such as Matt Smith have said in the past that the schedule can be grueling since The Doctor is in almost every episode & scene but it’s not just the filming for months but also doing promotions in between aswell as shooting extra material for stuff like Tales of The Tardis so I can understand that reasoning…

However I love ya Ncuti but I don’t buy it in this particular case since we know the regeneration and Belinda’s ending were reshoots because of the uncertain nature of the show moving forward (with the Billie Piper tease being used to lure audiences and drum up interest in the studio to renew it) because the original ending had Belinda ,The Doctor & others celebrating after the S2 finale with a bigger Susan tease being done for next season or beyond given the picture below which was promoted for the finale but we never saw.

Plus you yourself had said you hoped to start shooting S16/S3 soon previously so what changed for you since then?.

Anyway , it’s just unfortunate how it’s turned out since I have liked this era and Ncuti as The Doctor so to have it end so prematurely just bums me out & sours me on the show right now to an extent.

grif - 7/14/2025, 6:01 PM

what a loser.

ObserverIO - 7/14/2025, 6:08 PM

That's not true, he was fired from all things BBC for not showing up to work at a singing contest.

MarvelZombie616 - 7/14/2025, 6:09 PM

Worst Doctor ever.
Better quit acting.

Rexotron - 7/14/2025, 6:22 PM

He has less episodes than any doctor other than Eccleston who left because of internal conflicts, and Mcgann (but that was out of his control) and he's one of the youngest ones. He could've just said that he was not physically up for it. Or jokingly say he's too lazy. Dont say shit like too old. Coming off like a fool.

elgaz - 7/14/2025, 7:04 PM

Michael Keaton played Batman again at 70. Grow a set.

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DOCTOR WHO Star Ncuti Gatwa, 32, Says He Quit The Troubled Series Because "I'm Getting Old"

Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa has talked more about his decision to leave the series after such a brief stint in the TARDIS, and weighs in on the possibility of Billie Piper taking over as the Doctor...

DOCTOR WHO Could Be Off Our Screens For Several Years As The Show's Future Looks Increasingly Uncertain

RUMOR: DOCTOR WHO's Potential Streaming Partners Revealed After The BBC's Disney+ Deal Reportedly Imploded

DISCLAIMER: As a user generated site and platform, ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions.