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BreakingNews.ie
a day ago
- Entertainment
- BreakingNews.ie
Billie Piper appears to be new Doctor as Ncuti Gatwa leaves Doctor Who
Ncuti Gatwa has left Doctor Who and said he 'loved every minute of it' as he is seen regenerating into Billie Piper in the season finale. Piper, 42, first appeared in the series as the companion to the ninth Doctor in 2005, playing Rose Tyler alongside Christopher Eccleston's Time Lord – and then again for the 10th Doctor played by David Tennant. Advertisement Piper appeared to replace Gatwa, who leaves Doctor Who after two seasons in the science-fiction series, as she arrived on screen with the words 'Oh, hello!'. 🔥 SPOILERS! 🔥 Watch the moment we said goodbye to the Fifteenth Doctor and hello to... #DoctorWho — Doctor Who (@bbcdoctorwho) May 31, 2025 Piper said: 'It's no secret how much I love this show, and I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse as I have some of my best memories there, so to be given the opportunity to step back on that Tardis one more time was just something I couldn't refuse, but who, how, why and when, you'll just have to wait and see.' Shortly after the finale aired, the actress shared a post on Instagram holding a rose with the caption that read: 'A rose is a rose is a rose !!!' Born in Rwanda before moving to Scotland, Gatwa's time on the long-running science fiction programme came to an end as The Reality War episode brought this season to a close on Saturday. Advertisement The two-part season finale saw the Doctor face the Rani in a battle to save the world after making the decision to save the life of one little girl. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Billie Piper (@billiepiper) As he bid farewell to companion Belinda Chandra, played by Varada Sethu, he said: 'I hope you'll see me again, but not like this.' Speaking about his decision to leave the series, Gatwa said: 'You know when you get cast, at some point you are going to have to hand back that sonic screwdriver and it is all going to come to an end, but nothing quite prepares you for it. 'This journey has been one that I will never forget, and a role that will be part of me forever. There are no words to describe what it feels like to be cast as the Doctor, nor are there words to explain what it feels like to be accepted into this iconic role that has existed for over 60 years and is truly loved by so many across the globe. Advertisement 'I've loved every minute of it, but now is the time to hand over the keys to that beloved blue box and let someone else take control and enjoy it every bit as much as I have. I'll truly miss it, and forever be grateful to it, and everyone that has played a part in my journey as the Doctor.' The finale also saw Jodie Whittaker, the 13th doctor, make a guest appearance as Gatwa's Doctor appeared to be travelling through alternate universes. Ncuti Gatwa attending the premiere of Doctor Who season two (Ian West/PA) The credit at the end of the programme said: 'Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor. Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor. And introducing Billie Piper.' Sex Education and Barbie star Gatwa has played the 15th Doctor since Scottish actor David Tennant bi-generated in 2023, after his version of the character was brought back to life as the 14th Doctor. Advertisement Whittaker, the first woman to play the Time Lord, announced in July 2021 that she would depart after three series as the 13th Doctor. Russell T Davies, Doctor Who showrunner, said: 'What a Doctor! Thank you, Ncuti! As his final words say, this has been an absolute joy, and the team in Cardiff and everyone who has worked on this show for the past few years, are so lucky to have been part of Ncuti's great adventure as he shoots off to stratospheric new heights. 'Billie once changed the whole of television, back in 2005, and now she's done it again! It's an honour and a hoot to welcome her back to the Tardis, but quite how and why and who is a story yet to be told. After 62 years, the Doctor's adventures are only just beginning!' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Millie Gibson (@milliegibbo) Actress Millie Gibson, who plays Ruby Sunday – one of the companions to Gatwa's Doctor, shared a post on Instagram with photographs of the two together adding that the actor made the character 'even more special'. Advertisement She wrote: 'Nothing can put into words the experience we've shared. I am forever grateful to have been a part of it and watched you bloom into the fabulous Doctor the world has got to know and adore. 'You have made this incredible character even more special with who you are and how good you wear clothes. 'You're my forever friend and doctor and I'll be here cheering you on watching you on your further successes with every new companion you meet along the way. Thank you for taking me to the stars.' Gatwa will soon star in the West End premiere of Born With Teeth, a play that re-imagines the relationship between rival playwrights Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare. Since Piper left the Whoniverse, she starred in the ITV series, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, and portrayed Newsnight producer Sam McAlister in Netflix's Scoop, which tells the behind-the-scenes story of Emily Maitlis' momentous interview with Britain's Prince Andrew.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Billie Piper: From Doctor Who sidekick to Time Lord
Billie Piper – who returned to Doctor Who when the 15th Doctor Ncuti Gatwa regenerated – shot to fame in 1998 at the age of 15 with the release of her debut pop single Because We Want To. The chart topper was followed by another number one single, Girlfriend, and her platinum selling debut album Honey To The B. But she then moved into acting, later saying it was what she wanted to do most, and her breakthrough role came as the companion to Doctor Who in 2005. Piper, from Swindon, played Rose Tyler, the sidekick to the ninth and tenth Doctors, Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant. Rose was a feisty shop assistant who developed a strong bond with the Time Lord and kissed him at one stage. Piper won the award for Most Popular Actress at the National Television Awards in 2005 and 2006 for the role. She later starred in the ITV series Secret Diary Of A Call Girl from 2007 to 2011, playing an escort in London. She made her directorial debut in 2019 with Rare Beasts, a dark comedy drama she also wrote and starred in. Last year, she portrayed Newsnight producer Sam McAlister in Netflix's Scoop, which tells the behind-the-scenes story of Emily Maitlis's momentous interview with the Duke of York. Piper's performance earned her a nomination for Best Leading Actress at the 2025 Bafta TV Awards.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Doctor Who fans go into MELTDOWN as Billie Piper makes a shock return to the BBC show to replace Ncuti Gatwa as the Time Lord amid crashing ratings
Doctor Who fans went into meltdown as Billie Piper made a sensational return to the BBC show to replace departing Ncuti Gatwa as the Time Lord in Saturday's series final. Billie, 42, first starred as the companion to the ninth Doctor in 2005, playing Rose Tyler alongside Christopher Eccleston's Time Lord. She went onto star alongside David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor in the second series. However, devout Whovians were not expecting the huge twist at the end of series 15 as Ncuti's character regenerated into Rose amid his departure after just two series as woke storylines saw ratings for the much-loved show plunge. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, fans were quick to share their reaction to Billie's shock comeback, with one even asking: ''Did my eyes actually deceive me?!' They penned: 'THE WAY I SCREEEEEEEEEAMED', 'Did not see that coming. Wow!' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'ACTUALLY IN SHOCK. I NEVER THOUGHT THE WORDS BILLIE PIPER IS THE 16TH DOCTOR WOULD EVER COME OUT OF MY MOUTH.' '#DoctorWho just... Wow! I'm speechless! So glad I went to the cinema to see it. The crowd was ecstatic! Full of cheers and applause and gasps! Fantastic!' 'Hang on, hang on, hang on, is billie piper the new doctor, did my eyes actually deceive me, have I gone back in time, what is going on, do we have to wait until Christmas now to find out what's next, omgggg.' 'BILLIE PIPER IS THE 16TH DOCTOR AND I AM SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP'. Meanwhile, while initial reactions to the news on X were positive, other die hard fans tuning in had mixed reactions to Saturday's episode. Retired teacher Steve Hatcher, 66, of Ashbourne in Derbyshire, who runs Whoovers - a Doctor Who fan club, told the PA news agency: 'The question in the mind was, is it going to be a regeneration to a new Doctor, which it was, or is it just going to be a regeneration to black and an uncertain future? 'So I'm very relieved that they've found a new Doctor and she's a brilliant actor and I'm sure that'll be terrific, so Doctor Who continues, I would say, on the basis of that, it was a terrific episode.' James Ashway, 27, from Bristol, who helps run the Doctor Who Appreciation Society's magazine, said: 'It was an episode which threw the kitchen sink in terms of returning characters, Jodie Whittaker and obviously now Billie Piper as well as the new Doctor. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter , fans were quick to share their reaction to Billie's shock comeback, with one even asking: ''Did my eyes actually deceive me?!' 'I'm a bit speechless to be honest, there's quite a lot of stuff to take in, but I think it was an interesting episode which pivoted in the middle to tell two different stories, one wrapping up the end of that season and obviously telling Ncuti Gatwa's regeneration as well, so very enjoyable.' However, Brendan Noble, 57, of Middlesbrough, a former English teacher who runs the Sense Sphere YouTube channel said: 'I think we've just had what I would have called EastEnders in space. I am absolutely shocked, irritated, frustrated, people are contacting me now in absolute shock and horror at what's just happened. 'It's lazy writing, hodgepodge of exposition, escapism, nonsense, (Russell T Davies) was throwing every toy from the Doctor Who box at the telly, hoping that some of it would make sense in the way of entertaining you.' Billie will now be the second woman to take on the role as the Time Lord after Jodie Whittaker portrayed the 13th doctor. She replaces Ncuti, who leaves Doctor Who after two seasons in the science-fiction series. The actor's time on the long-running science fiction programme came to an end as The Reality War episode brought this season to a close on Saturday. The two-part season finale saw the Doctor face the Rani in a battle to save the world after making the decision to safe the life of one little girl. As he bid farewell to companion Belinda Chandra, played by Varada Sethu, he said: 'I hope you'll see me again, but not like this.' The finale also saw Whittaker, the 13th doctor, make a guest appearance as Gatwa's Doctor appeared to be travelling through alternate universes. In a statement released by the BBC, Ncuti Gatwa said: 'You know when you get cast, at some point you are going to have to hand back that sonic screwdriver and it is all going to come to an end, but nothing quite prepares you for it. 'This journey has been one that I will never forget, and a role that will be part of me forever. There are no words to describe what it feels like to be cast as the Doctor, nor are there words to explain what it feels like to be accepted into this iconic role that has existed for over 60 years and is truly loved by so many across the globe. 'The fans are truly the final character and beating heart of this show and I can't thank the Whoniverse, and the Whovians, enough for welcoming me in, and making this such a touching experience. 'I've loved every minute of it, but now is the time to hand over the keys to that beloved blue box and let someone else take control and enjoy it every bit as much as I have. 'I'll truly miss it, and forever be grateful to it, and everyone that has played a part in my journey as the Doctor.' Reacting to the news Billie said: 'It's no secret how much I love this show, and I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse as I have some of my best memories there, so to be given the opportunity to step back on that Tardis one more time was just something I couldn't refuse.' After Doctor Who was broadcast, Billie Piper posted on Instagram 'A rose is a rose is a rose !!!' with images from her previous time on the show playing the Doctor's companion Rose Tyler. Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies said: 'What a Doctor! Thank you, Ncuti! 'As his final words say, this has been an absolute joy, and the team in Cardiff and everyone who has worked on this show for the past few years, are so lucky to have been part of Ncuti's great adventure as he shoots off to stratospheric new heights.' The BBC programme is also said to have been paused for an extended break amid criticism about recent plots involving non-binary aliens, incels and even a pregnant male extra-terrestrial. A small number of social media critics have pointed to the diversity of the cast, a drag queen villain, and introduction of transgender and non-binary characters. However, both Davies and Gatwa have strongly dismissed this criticism as from a minority, with Davies telling BBC Radio 2's 20 Secrets From 20 Years: 'Someone always brings up matters of diversity. 'And there are online warriors accusing us of diversity and wokeness and involving messages and issues. 'And I have no time for this. I don't have a second to bear (it). Because what you might call diversity, I just call an open door.' Gatwa told Attitude magazine in 2024 that the hateful comments the sci-fi show has received after casting a black man is 'fascinating, because there's so much energy they're putting into it ... I think they need to go find a hobby is one thing'. During his time, he has had companions in the form of Andor actress Varada Sethu, and former Coronation Street actress Millie Gibson, who played Gatwa's companion Ruby Sunday since the 2023 Christmas episode The Church On Ruby Road.
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Worst episode ever? Why Space Babies doomed Doctor Who
In space, nobody can hear you scream. But can they hear you gurgle? That was the question posed last year by the instantly divisive first full episode of Ncuti Gatwa's tenure as the Doctor. Arriving amid huge anticipation in May 2024 and on the heels of a solid debut by Gatwa in the 2023 Christmas Special, Space Babies marooned the titular Time Lord on a spaceship populated by… talking infants – plus a 'snot monster'. Some viewers were charmed by this tale of interstellar tots/snots. Others wondered if returning showrunner Russell T Davies, back after 14 years, was several microchips short of a sonic screwdriver. 'Space Babies was at the extreme end of light and fluffy,' says Rob Irwin, co-host of The Doctor Who Podcast. 'To be running around a spaceship with some babies and a 'snot monster' – who was really just misunderstood [he was revealed to be a pet] – put some fans off from the start.' Many never returned. Ratings for Davies's second tilt at Who have nose-dived ever since – a decline that has accelerated through the latest season, which reaches its finale this weekend. So sharp has been the spiral – down 800,000 on 2024 and two million fewer than the not-especially-loved Jodie Whittaker era – there is speculation that the BBC is to quietly put Who out to pasture, with Gatwa strongly rumoured as leaving while will make him the shortest serving Doctor since Christopher 'one and done' Eccleston in 2005). Are they 'soft cancelling' a show which, some feel, caused itself irreparable damage with the insufferably twee Space Babies? What's especially baffling is that Davies – who presided over the Doctor's glory years of 2005 to 2010 which gave us all-time great Who moments such as the Weeping Angels in Blink – did it all on purpose. Space Babies arrived early in the BBC's £80m deal with Disney to stream Doctor Who outside the UK and Ireland on Disney+ (and chip in on the budget). Eager to appeal – perhaps 'pander' is a better word – to a vast untapped audience of potential Whovians, Davies decided to go cuddly. He also apparently believed there was something innately hilarious about a spaceship full of talking babies, whose creepy CGI mouth movements allow them to be voiced by adult actors, including Sami Amber and Shola Olaitan-Ajiboye. 'I think the chance to do jokes – jokes like that on a bigger scale – is enormous fun,' Davies said. 'And let's face it, the freedom that I'm given and the trust I'm given by the BBC and by Disney+ is glorious.' 'Glorious' is not a word many fans have used about Space Babies, which arrived five months after Gatwa's official debut in the solid Christmas special, The Church on Ruby Road ('delightful' proclaimed the Telegraph). After the Doctor and new assistant, Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson), are catapulted through time to a space station, they encounter a robot guardian named NAN-E and a population of infants left behind on the abandoned structure. The babies can talk – in squeaky and very annoying voices – and tell the Doctor about the Bogeyman. The monster was created by the ship in a misguided attempt to entertain the children and is inevitably made out of actual bogies. Although NAN-E (revealed to be a Golda Rosheuvel's Jocelyn) wants to blast it out of the airlock – the fate suffered by HR Giger's Xenomorph at the end of Alien – the Doctor saves it, and the babies adopt it as a sort of disgusting pet. It wasn't supposed to be like this when the BBC announced Davies was coming back to Who. His predecessor Chris Chibnall had allowed the series to descend into a purgatory of claggy, meandering plots – dragged out over multiple episodes yet rarely approaching coherence. (Can anyone explain what the 'Lone Cyberman' arc was about? Even the Cyberman seemed confused.) Davies, by contrast, had a reputation for 'getting Who right'. As mentioned above, the Blink/Weeping Angels episode is considered one of the best in Who history (though it was actually written by Steven Moffat, who would succeed Davies as showrunner). He also gave us the terrifying 'Flood' aliens in 2008's Waters of Mars and teamed up the Daleks and Cybermen to winning effect with Army of Ghosts. That said, Space Babies wasn't breaking any hard and fast rules. Doctor Who has had some wacky concepts in its day: The farting Slitheens from Davies's 2005 episode, Aliens of London, the Adipose creatures made of human fat from 2008 (another Davies concept – is this a pattern?). I can't lie, Space Babies is downright restrained and tasteful compared to some of the comedy swings Russell T Davies has made in past. — Someone Called Kevin (@scribblesscript) May 14, 2024 But for sheer silliness Space Babies nonetheless took the interstellar biscuit – and a backlash against it has been building among the fanbase ever since, to the point where the episode arguably threatens to overshadow the entirety of the Gatwa era. Even for a character as long-established as the Doctor, first impressions count more than ever today – and Davies's revamped vision of the franchise was hard to take seriously. 'This isn't Dr Who. This is some of the worst TV I've ever seen. Seriously, the writing here is abysmal. I can't imagine how it could get any worse. Worse is not conceivable,' wrote one aghast fan on a Doctor Who forum. 'The poorest I have ever seen due mostly to plot and themes,' agreed another. 'Ncuti Gatwa needs better episodes written if he's going to stand the test of time. Massive budgets and charisma from Ncuti don't compensate for lame stories about space babies.' That isn't to say Space Babies is universally loathed. Some fans will argue passionately on its behalf. It has even been contended that the story is a moving metaphor for the plight of asylum seekers, caught – much like the babies in their space station – in limbo between their old and new lives. SPACE BABIES Writer: Russell T Davies Director: Julie Anne Robinson #DoctorWho — Doctor Who (@bbcdoctorwho) March 31, 2024 'Underneath the snot and out-of-this-world peril of Space Babies, it's a story about searching for a chosen family,' argued Digital Spy's Jamie Windust. 'The babies are repeatedly referenced as being refugees, looking for love and connection at a time when they are in desperate fear of the big bad monster that hears every step they make.' And amidst all the hate and the occasional admiration, many Whovians take a more neutral view and acknowledge Space Babies has both strengths and weaknesses. 'I don't believe Space Babies to be the worst episode of Doctor Who or even in the bottom 20,' says Doctor Who podcaster Philip Edney. 'The production values are too high and some of the concepts are great. RTD has always started every season with a story that is a bit light and fluffy to hook audience.' One issue with the episode, he feels, is that it does not play to Gatwa's strengths. Quite the opposite – in expecting the actor to hold his own against a bunch of giggling babies, the script hangs him out to dry slightly. It exposes his limitations as an actor who can do emotion well but struggles to communicate the Time Lord's cerebral qualities, which is what you need when trying to maintain a straight face against a rampaging snot monster. 'I loved him in Sex Education. But the high-level camp energy of [his Sex Education character] Eric or the sad, thoughtful Eric were the only two things Ncuti seemed able to bring to the Doctor. Some other actors are able to lift his performance,' said Edney. 'But put him in a room with babies and you can really see his weakness. And, as it becomes apparent that he is going to cry in every episode, you start to wonder where the Doctor has gone.' Davies's error, many fans believe, was trying to appeal to a new audience while taking for granted the ardent Whoheads who have stuck by the show through good and bad. He also appeared to have buckled slightly under the pressure of re-imagining Doctor Who as a series that could thrive on streaming. And for what? Disney is rumoured to have been unhappy with Space Babies – to the point where executives judged it unfixable (in contrast to the Christmas special in which they had inserted a scene in which an inflatable snowman falls on the Doctor). There was no tweaking a story about talking babies and snot monsters – so they just let it out into the world, as Davies intended. 'Doctor Who had gone through three very weak years of story and an actor who struggled with poor scripts and knowing who her Doctor was,' says Edney, referring to Gatwa's predecessor Jodie Whittaker. 'The hope was that this new era was going to fix all the issues and bring back Doctor Who. But what we got was Space Babies. That is what broke people's hearts.'
Evening Standard
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Evening Standard
Budget issues, falling viewership: is Doctor Who going to be renewed for another season?
This isn't just about Who, of course: it's also a consequence of the streaming revolution, dividing our attention between more platforms than ever before and stealing eyeballs from legacy broadcasters. The BBC are aware of this – of course they are. And in recent years, attempts have been made to give the show a little extra pep. Most notably, this has come in the return of beloved showrunner Russell T Davies, who helped bring the show back and steered it to ratings glory in 2005 alongside Christopher Eccleston, then Tennant.
