Doctor Who's Ncuti Gatwa withdraws from BBC role - and here's who's replacing him
Ncuti Gatwa has had to pull out of the 2025 Eurovision final due to "unforeseen circumstances".
The Doctor Who star was set to read the UK's National Jury results during the Eurovision's Grand Final on 17 May.
However, the BBC has now announced that Gatwa is "no longer able to participate as Spokesperson" for the UK, with 'Murder on the Dancefloor' singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor stepping in for him.
"Due to unforeseen circumstances, unfortunately Ncuti Gatwa is no longer able to participate as Spokesperson during the Grand Final this weekend," the BBC said in a statement.
"However, we are delighted to confirm that BBC Radio 2's very own Friday night Kitchen Disco Diva Sophie Ellis-Bextor will be presenting the Jury result live from the UK."
Related: Best streaming services
Ellis-Bextor said: "I love Eurovision and it's a privilege to be part of 2025's Grand Final. What an honour it is to announce the UK's jury score on such a special show which always puts music front and centre.
"I am very much looking forward to delivering the iconic douze points from the United Kingdom!"
While he's no longer participating in the Grand Final on 17 May, fans will be able to see Gatwa in Doctor Who's Eurovision-themed episode earlier that evening.
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The episode will focus on the Interstellar Song Contest as planets compete across the universe, and feature cameos from Rylan Clark and Graham Norton.
Meanwhile, representing the UK for the real-life Eurovision this year is band Remember Monday with their song 'What The Hell Just Happened?'.
"'What The Hell Just Happened' is exactly how we're feeling right now! It's all very surreal; our friendship goes so far back, and we definitely never imagined that we'd be doing anything like this," the band said when they were announced in March.
"When you're a kid and people ask you what you want to be when you grow up, an absolute classic is 'I wanna be a pop star', so the fact that we're getting the chance to live that dream as three best friends is just wild."
The Eurovision 2025 Grand Final will air Saturday 17 May on BBC One. Doctor Who airs on BBC One in the UK and Disney+ elsewhere. Classic episodes of Doctor Who are available on BBC iPlayer in the UK.
Interested in talking about Doctor Who? Visit our dedicated sub-forum
Read more Doctor Who news on our dedicated homepage
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Yahoo
an hour ago
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All the Pride Month events to hit around the Twin Cities in June
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Here are a few outside of the Twin Cities that are happening in June. : June 7 at 3rd Ave & Main St in Anoka : June 7 at Robinson Park in Pine City : June 7 on Bush Street in Red Wing : June 7 at Brookview Park in Golden Valley : June 7 at Central Square in South St. Paul : June 14 at Back Channel Brewing in Spring Park : June 14–15 at Dual Citizen Brewing in St. Paul : June 22 at Bloomington Civic Plaza in Bloomington : July 11–12 at West St. Paul Sports Complex in West St. Paul Various dates from June 1 through July 13 The newly founded LGBTQ+ cafe and community space in Uptown Minneapolis is celebrating its first Pride Month with a slate of events that are "designed to center LGBTQ+ individuals and allies—particularly those often marginalized in mainstream Pride celebrations." That includes younger generations, as most of its events are open to people of all ages. June 9: ASL & LGBTQ+ Deaf Culture Workshop June 15: Brushes and Bubbles: Hidden Pride Legacy Paint Class June 20: A BIPOC Soft Space with Paper Lantern Project June 22: The Archive Is Alive (Queer Elders in Story) June 22: LGBTQ+ Seniors Tea Dance June 28: Feedback! Taylor Ngiri Seaber and Not Your Baby in concert (21+) June 29: Intergenerational Day of Care July 13: Quiet Riot: A Calm Celebration of Loud Identities ("sensory-friendly Pride celebration centering disabled, neurodivergent, and low-stimulation queer community") June 12, at The Parkway Theater in Minneapolis Among the Parkway's many Pride events is the arrival of the iconic comedian and actress Sandra Bernhard, who is on the road with a new show featuring stories, one-liners, and music. Bernhard has been a singular and outspoken voice for decades, whether it was during her run on Roseanne as one of TV's only openly lesbian characters or more recent roles, like the upcoming Josh Safdie film, Marty Supreme. 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Not because of the perspective of Doctor Who's shaky reputation coming out if its finale, and its wild stunt-casting Hail Mary to close out Ncuti Gatwa's time on the show (it's currently unclear whether or not Billie Piper is going to be a full-fledged 16th incarnation of the Doctor; much like the show's current status, details about that are still up the air), but because at this point it's pretty much logistically impossible for the series to make a return any time soon unless it enters production immediately. A week out from the finale and with no official statement on the renewal of the BBC's licensing partnership with Disney—with the latter already having made it clear that there was going to be a review of Doctor Who's viewership across the latest season before any decision about the deal—it seems unlikely that we're going to hear anything soon, whether Disney backs out or carries on financially supporting the series. 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Check out the second night of ElixHER World Pride Cabaret on Sunday, June 8 and a perfect seat to view the World Pride parade on Saturday, June 7 from Barrel House's new patio with live DJs, a parade live stream, and even bottle service. A special Pride menu will also be available for all of June in collaboration with Absolut Vodka. Aslin Beer 1740 14th Street NW Aslin is also a fantastic spot to watch the start of the World Pride parade in a huge beer garden overlooking 14th Street NW. The brewery is also collaborating with Rainbow Families again to serve a special double IPA beer called Now More Than Ever, with flavors of stone fruit and citrus with a bit of coconut. A percentage of each purchase of the fruity beer will go towards Rainbow Families' mission of supporting LGBTQ+ families and prospective parents. After a few beers you might even want to buy some of their Pride merch, including bright T-shirts and beer glasses. Via Sophia 1001 14th Street NW This Italian restaurant in the Hamilton Hotel is another great parade viewing spot, with an extra special World Pride Parade Viewing Party featuring RuPaul's Drag Race Season 13 winner Symone and Drag Race All Stars Derrick Barry and Miz Cracker. The Via Sophia patio peers directly into the parade route and the kitchen will be serving up themed cocktails and brunch bites amid DJ sets. Fashion icon Nigel Barker will also be serving up tastings of his signature Barker Martinis at the hotel's micro-bar, Society, during the parade. Café Riggs 900 F Street NW This elegant restaurant in the bottom of the Riggs Hotel has rolled out a thoughtful Pride Icons cocktail menu for June to pair with the contemporary French-American cuisine. The Harvey Milk is a bourbon and maderia drink that actually includes clarified milk and maple, inspired by Milk's favorite breakfast of matzoh meal pancakes, while a zero-proof Elton John spritz celebrates the musician's 34th year of sobriety. All four of the thoughtful cocktails include playful illustrations of each icon, drawn by LGBTQ artist Diego Blanco. Pair them with an order of french fries plus caviar and creme fraiche. Atlas Ivy City 2052 West Virginia Avenue NE The Atlas Brewery location up in Ivy City is throwing an LGBTQ Benefit Show on Saturday, June 14 from 2 to 8 p.m., with seven musical acts from across the Northeast. All ticket proceeds will benefit The Trevor Project, SMYAL, and HIPS. The $15 tickets are available on Eventbrite. Love, Makoto 200 Massachusetts Avenue NW If you'd rather watch the parade from a sunny spot or celebrate Pride in a park, this Japanese food hall is selling picnic packs for two with a Rainbow Roll, kale soba salad, two rainbow vanilla doughnuts, and two yuzu lemonades. The $45 picnic can be ordered at Love on the Run in-person or on Love, Makoto's website, plus you can get delivery through Uber Eats and DoorDash. Make it a boozy picnic by switching out the lemonades for Makoto margaritas or Chika Sake Cups, with the Party Pack version costing $65. Plus, all proceeds from any heart-shaped, rainbow vanilla doughnuts sold during June will go towards The Trevor Project. Lulu's Winegarden 1940 11th Street NW A special Love is Love at Lulu's cocktail menu is being served at this U Street-adjacent wine bar, with drinks like a purple-hued Taste the Rainbow gin, creme de violet, and fresh raspberry, and a strawberry-coconut daiquiri called Come to My Window. A dollar from each Pride cocktail and rainbow bottles of True Colours Cava sold will go towards the Human Rights Campaign. 1785 Florida Avenue NW The essential pupusas place at the foot of Adams Morgan unleashes a new lineup of summer cocktails just in time for Pride Month. Every $1 from each one sold goes to Ayuda in support of immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities in the DMV. In addition, a new Taco Tuesday revamp calls for 10 tacos and three sauces for $40 and a marg carafe-and-taco trio combo for $35. MXDC 1610 14th Street NW Located right along the Capital Pride Parade route, MXDC by Todd English invites attendees to celebrate with a one-day burrito stand on Saturday, June 7. Swing by during parade hours to grab a $15 burrito (chicken, steak, or mushroom), $12 margs, $8 Coronas, and more. Grab a burrito and margarita for $25 (or by the bottle for $40). A limited number of prime-time outdoor VIP tables are available by reservation. A speedy drag brunch round-up There are plenty of fabulous year-round drag brunches in D.C., but a few restaurants are throwing one-off drag brunches to celebrate Pride this weekend. Here are a few highlights: Arrels is throwing an unlimited tapas brunch on Sunday, June 8, with performances by De'ior Kouture, Nadia Cole, Jalah Nicole, and Ervena Chloe, hosted by Bombalicious Eklaver. The $60 brunch goes from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. RSVP on the Arlo Hotels website. (333 G Street NW) Lyle's famous drag brunch has a special visitor this weekend, with Miss Leggs Benedict returning for a very special Pride Drag brunch on Saturday, June 7. She and Hennessey will be hosting the bottomless cocktails brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Make a reservation on SevenRooms. (1731 New Hampshire Avenue NW) Hotel Monaco's Dirty Habit is hosting a drag brunch with Drag Race star Alyssa Edwards, along with Utica, Mercedes Iman Diamond, Crimsyn, and Druex Sidora, on Sunday, June 8. A $150 ticket includes access to a brunch buffett and two drinks, while a $239 ticket also includes a meet and greet with the drag queens. Tickets are available on Etix. (555 8th St NW) star Alyssa Edwards, along with Utica, Mercedes Iman Diamond, Crimsyn, and Druex Sidora, on Sunday, June 8. A $150 ticket includes access to a brunch buffett and two drinks, while a $239 ticket also includes a meet and greet with the drag queens. Tickets are available on Etix. Newcomer Willowsong hosts a Brunch Out Loud event on Saturday, June 7, that includes a three-course brunch, bottomless brunch cocktails, and plenty of drag performances. Two seatings are available, starting at either 11 a.m. or 2 p.m. Reservations start at $75 a person and are available on OpenTable. (801 Wharf Street SW) Sign up for our newsletter.
