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.