Latest news with #NcutiGatwa
BBC News
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Dr Who: Finale shocks fans and here's why
WARNING: This article contains Doctor Who Gatwa has said goodbye to the Tardis as it's revealed he is stepping down as The Doctor after 18 months in the the series finale, the Doctor regenerated into a familiar face after making the ultimate sacrifice to save the life of a little the episode, the Doctor seemed to regenerate into Rose Tyler - an old companion to the ninth and tenth Doctors 20 years ago, who is played by actor Billie credit at the end of the programme said: "Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor. Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor. And introducing Billie Piper".It's left the series on a cliffhanger as fans wonder how and why she's did you think of the episode? Let us know in the comments below! Ncuti Gatwa was announced as the 15th Doctor in May first appeared on our screens as part of the show's 60th anniversary celebrations in November was the first bi-generation which saw him split from the 14th Doctor, played by David 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."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." It's still unclear whether Billie Piper will be playing the 16th Doctor and become the third woman to play the role. In a statement she 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."She first appeared on the show back in 2005 alongside Christopher Eccleston and then David Tennant as companion Rose Tyler. Doctor Who showrunner and head writer Russell T Davies said: "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!"
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Britain's Got Talent receives its lowest EVER ratings as magician Harry Moulding is crowned champion - while Doctor Who gets a boost for THAT regeneration reveal
Britain's Got Talent received its lowest viewership in history on Saturday night as magician Harry Moulding was crowned champion after a mammoth 14-week series. The show had switched to airing weekly on Saturday nights for its 2025 run, and finally came to an end with Harry scooping £250,000 in prize money and a spot at the Royal Variety Performance. But Harry receiving praise from viewers for his 'incredible performance,' just 4.1 million viewers tuned into the live final, one million down on last year. While this did increase to a peak of 4.8 million, this is still down on the 5.2 million viewers who watched 2024's final. These numbers do not include viewers who streamed the final on ITVX, or caught up at a later time, so the final viewership will be likely to increase. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. In contrast, Doctor Who received a huge boost from its much-anticipated finale, which saw Ncuti Gatwa bid farewell to the iconic role after just two series. According to overnight figures, the finale saw 2.2 million tune in live, making it the second most watched show of the day and second most watched episode of the series, behind the sixth episode, The Interstellar Song Contest. As he was unveiled as the BGT winner. Harry jumped up and down and screamed after hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly called his name. 'I can't believe what is going on,' he said. 'Thank you everyone so much, I genuinely feel like everyone has been behind me. This has been the most incredible journey.' He faced off against dance troupe The Blackouts in the final two, with the group remaining good spirits after his win, saying it was 'well deserved'. His routine began with a card trick where he correctly pulled out all the cards each of the judges had picked. In a pre-recorded video of himself sky-diving, he correctly predicted the cards each judge would select. The budding star received praise across the board from judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and Bruno Tonioli following his act. Harry has now secured a life-changing £250,000 cash prize and a coveted place on the bill of the Royal Variety Performance. The magician performed the winning magic routine which the judges described as incredible. Elsewhere during the show, fill-in judge KSI and Tom Grennan performed while the public voted for their favourite act. Meanwhile, Doctor Who fans were left stunned when it was revealed that Billie Piper would be taking over the role of the titular time traveller. The actress is well-known to longtime Who fans, having previously played The Doctor's companion Rose Tyler, and The Moment interface in the show's 50th Anniversary Special. 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.'
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Ncuti Gatwa Leaves 'Doctor Who' Having Never Faced Iconic Dalek Foes
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Ncuti Gatwa is set to depart the long-running BBC television series Doctor Who without ever encountering the Time Lord's most infamous enemies: the Daleks. Despite his groundbreaking tenure as the 15th Doctor and the first Black actor to assume the role, Gatwa's era will close without a showdown against the sci-fi series' iconic villains. Ncuti Gatwa, left in New York, May 5, 2025, in New York; and Billie Piper in London, March 27, 2024. Ncuti Gatwa, left in New York, May 5, 2025, in New York; and Billie Piper in London, March 27, 2024. Evan Agostini,Vianney Le Caer/AP The Context Ncuti Gatwa officially departed Doctor Who on Saturday, saying he "loved every minute of it," after his Doctor regenerated into Billie Piper in a season finale that has sparked mixed reactions from fans. Piper, 42, is no stranger to the series, having first appeared in 2005 as Rose Tyler, companion to Christopher Eccleston's Ninth Doctor, and later alongside David Tennant's Tenth Doctor. Gatwa's exit, long speculated, now confirms him as the second-shortest-serving Doctor, following Eccleston's single-season run. What To Know Gatwa becomes only the second actor never to face the Daleks during his tenure in the lead role—joining Paul McGann, whose Eighth Doctor battled them only in audio dramas, while David Tennant's Tenth Doctor encountered them, but his brief return as the Fourteenth did not. A full size Dalek during a photo call at the Propstore in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, ahead of their Doctor Who auction for BBC Children in Need. A full size Dalek during a photo call at the Propstore in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, ahead of their Doctor Who auction for BBC Children in Need. Press Association via AP Images Doctor Who first premiered in 1963 and ran until 1989 before going on an extended hiatus. The series, about a heroic time traveling Doctor who battles dark forces of the universe, was successfully revived in 2005 under the guidance of writer Russell T Davies, ushering in a new era for the iconic sci-fi show. Key elements of the franchise's longevity are: the Doctor's Tardis time machine, a converted antiquated police phone box; and the concept of regeneration, in which the Doctor undergoes a transformation into a new body and personality following events that would typically be fatal. This also doubles as a handy dramatic device to switch actors in the lead role. Additionally, the Doctor is kitted out with a "sonic screwdriver," an equivalent to Batman's utility belt. To date,14 actors have officially portrayed the Doctor in numbered roles, David Tennant uniquely returning to play both the 10th and 14th incarnations. Additionally, the late John Hurt portrayed the previously unknown "War Doctor" in a special episode marking the show's 50th anniversary. What People Are Saying 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. Billie Piper said in a press release: "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." Russell T. Davies in the BBC press release 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." What Happens Next It remains unknown at this stage when the next series will be released on BBC. In the U.S. the show airs on Disney+. The fact that Gatwa has not battled the Daleks, gives him the perfect excuse to return in a later series, plot permitting.
BreakingNews.ie
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BreakingNews.ie
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. Advertisement 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. Billie Piper with David Tennant (Barry Batchelor/PA) 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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Doctor Who: The Reality War – season two finale and Ncuti Gatwa era recap
And just like that, he was gone, and the Ncuti Gatwa era is over. It was the shortest tenure in the role since Christopher Eccleston did just one series in 2005, and even within his brief run there was more than one episode where Gatwa barely featured. But without doubt the first Black actor to lead the show left his mark on the role – an incarnation with a winning smile, the catchphrase 'babes', relentless enthusiasm, and without the emotional baggage that was increasingly weighing down his predecessors. He departed with joy. With episodes like this, it is very much about enjoying the ride as it rushes from scene to scene, without worrying too much about whether the actual plot makes sense. That may not be the kind of Doctor Who everybody wants. The scene between Gatwa and the returning Jodie Whittaker was beautifully played. The lines about the 13th Doctor never telling Yaz she loved her were perfectly pitched by Russell T Davies to give closure to the awkward non-committal scenes we saw between Whittaker and Mandip Gill in The Power of the Doctor from the pen of Chris Chibnall. Millie Gibson's Ruby Sunday again shone in scenes where she was the protagonist rather than the sidekick. Her decision, after everything he had done, to choose the kindness of wishing Conrad (Jonah Hauer-King) happiness, rather than vengeance, was one of the most Doctor Who things ever. Archie Panjabi's take on the Rani, unhinged by the destruction of Gallifrey and the sterility of the Time Lords and unrequited in her feelings for the Doctor was exquisite, and Anita Dobson as Mrs Flood was always a tremendous presence on screen. But if we are talking about unrequited feelings, the surprise return of Steph de Whalley as Anita quickly turned from happiness to see her to experiencing her sadness as we saw her watch the Doctor and Rogue (Jonathan Groff) dancing in the past, and realise that Gatwa was never going to be her man. And so, at the end, a season that gave us both Dugga Doo and Mr Ring-a-Ding finished with Billie Piper saying 'Oh, hello!'. What a wild nonsensical ride it has been. What if Doctor Who did the weirdest thing it could possibly do and appear to cast a former companion as the lead? Belinda (Varada Sethu) was thankfully back to the spikier version of her that we first met in The Robot Revolution and Lux, rather than the bland version that appeared in the mid-season episodes, but it appears she has departed the show along with Gatwa. It would have been nice to have more of her. The battle scene which pitted the Avengers tower from Marvel against bone dinosaurs pretending to be At-Ats from Star Wars was hilarious, but in this episode it was really only the brief CGI appearance of Omega that was an alien big bad. If the fear last week was the fear of otherness in a dystopian world, the fear here was that of losing a child – or wanting one but never getting the chance. A very human fear that might hit very differently depending on your own personal circumstances. Probably the biggest mystery is that having introduced a cameo of Carole Ann Ford as the Doctor's granddaughter Susan two episodes ago, and this episode revolving around whether Poppy was the Doctor's daughter, that the two were not tied together. It was also surely deliberate that the end credits very clearly said 'Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor. Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor. And introducing Billie Piper' but did not specify who it was introducing her as. And Anita mentioned 'the boss', a reference back to a set-up by the Meep way back in 2023's 60th anniversary special The Star Beast, a story that now appears to be two Doctors ago. Gatwa's decision to pronounce Omega differently to everybody around him will surely go down in Doctor Who lore along with Matt Smith's mispronounced Metebelis III during Hide. Anita opening time doors left, right and centre looking for the Doctor in his past suggests that perhaps in every episode since 1974 some combination of her, Clara's impossible girl, and Sutekh clinging to the Tardis have all been present. It is getting a bit crowded in the past. I forgot to mention last week that the inclusion of a clip of Kate O'Mara playing the Rani in a flashback sequence lifted from 1993 Comic Relief EastEnders crossover episode Dimensions in Time finally makes it officially canon. The War Between the Land and the Sea – featuring Russell Tovey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jemma Redgrave and Ruth Madeley among others – sees Unit face off against the sea devils, and is expected to be broadcast later this year. With no confirmed news on the future of Doctor Who, there was a chance this may be the last episode-by-episode recap for some time, or possibly ever? But Billie Piper's appearance didn't feel like the end of the series, did it? Either way, I'd like to sign off by thanking all the production staff and comment moderation team that help the recaps happen, the people at the BBC who arrange early access to the episodes and invitations to screenings, you below the line for all your incisive and entertaining comments over the years, and of course, thanks to the much-loved and much-missed Dan Martin, who got the ball rolling 15 years ago with his recap blog of Matt Smith debut The Eleventh Hour. As Gatwa said as he departed the show, this has been an absolute joy. See you … soon? Season 2 Episode 1: The Robot Revolution Episode 2: Lux Episode 3: The Well Episode 4: Lucky Day Episode 5: The Story and the Engine Episode 6: The Interstellar Song Contest Episode 7: Wish World Episode 8: The Reality War Season 1 Episodes 1 & 2: Space Babies / The Devil's Chord Episode 3: Boom Episode 4: 73 Yards Episode 5: Dot and Bubble Episode 6: Rogue Episode 7: The Legend of Ruby Sunday Episode 8: Empire of Death Christmas special: Joy to the World 60th anniversary specials Special 1: The Star BeastSpecial 2: Wild Blue YonderSpecial 3: The GiggleChristmas special: The Church on Ruby Road Flux / Series 13 Chapter one: The Halloween ApocalypseChapter two: War of the SontaransChapter three: Once, Upon TimeChapter four: Village of the AngelsChapter five: Survivors of the FluxChapter six: The VanquishersNew Year's Special: Eve of the DaleksSpring special: Legend of the Sea DevilsBBC centenary special: The Power of the Doctor Series 12 Episode 1: Spyfall part oneEpisode 2: Spyfall part twoEpisode 3: Orphan 55Episode 4: Nikola Tesla's Night of TerrorEpisode 5: Fugitive of the JudoonEpisode 6: PraxeusEpisode 7: Can You Hear Me?Episode 8: The Haunting of Villa DiodatiEpisode 9: Ascension of the CybermenEpisode 10: The Timeless ChildrenNew Year's special: Revolution of the Daleks Series 11 Episode 1: The Woman Who Fell to EarthEpisode 2: The Ghost MonumentEpisode 3: RosaEpisode 4: Arachnids in the UKEpisode 5: The Tsuangra CondundrumEpisode 6: Demons of the PunjabEpisode 7: Kerblam!Episode 8: The WitchfindersEpisode 9: It Takes You AwayEpisode 10: The Battle of Ranskoor Av KolosNew Year's special: Resolution Series 10 Episode 1: The PilotEpisode 2: SmileEpisode 3: Thin IceEpisode 4: Knock KnockEpisode 5: OxygenEpisode 6: ExtremisEpisode 7: The Pyramid at the End of the WorldEpisode 8: The Lie of the LandEpisode 9: Empress of MarsEpisode 10: The Eaters of LightEpisode 11: World Enough and TimeEpisode 12: The Doctor Falls2017 Christmas special: Twice Upon A Time Series 9 Episode 1: The Magician's ApprenticeEpisode 2: The Witch's FamiliarEpisode 3: Under The LakeEpisode 4: Before The FloodEpisode 5: The Girl Who DiedEpisode 6: The Woman Who LivedEpisode 7: The Zygon InvasionEpisode 8: The Zygon InversionEpisode 9: Sleep No MoreEpisode 10: Face The RavenEpisode 11: Heaven SentEpisode 12: Hell Bent2015 Christmas special: The Husbands of River Song2016 Christmas special: The Return of Doctor Mysterio Series 8 Episode 1: Deep BreathEpisode 2: Into The DalekEpisode 3: Robot of SherwoodEpisode 4: ListenEpisode 5: Time HeistEpisode 6: The CaretakerEpisode 7: Kill The MoonEpisode 8: Mummy on the Orient ExpressEpisode 9: FlatlineEpisode 10: In the Forest of the NightEpisode 11: Dark WaterEpisode 12: Death In Heaven2014 Christmas special: Last Christmas Series 7 Episode 1: Asylum of the DaleksEpisode 2: Dinosaurs on a SpaceshipEpisode 3: A Town Called MercyEpisode 4: The Power of ThreeEpisode 5: The Angels Take Manhatten2012 Christmas special: The SnowmenEpisode 6: The Bells of Saint JohnEpisode 7: The Rings of AkhatenEpisode 8: Cold WarEpisode 9: HideEpisode 10: Journey to the Centre of the TardisEpisode 11: The Crimson HorrorEpisode 12: Nightmare in SilverEpisode 13: The Name of the Doctor50th Anniversary special: The Day of the Doctor2013 Christmas special: The Time of the Doctor Series 6 Episode 1: The Impossible AstronautEpisode 2: Day of the MoonEpisode 3: The Curse of the Black SpotEpisode 4: The Doctor's WifeEpisode 5: The Rebel FleshEpisode 6: The Almost PeopleEpisode 7: A Good Man Goes To WarEpisode 8: Let's Kill HitlerEpisode 9: Night TerrorsEpisode 10: The Girl Who WaitedEpisode 11: The God ComplexEpisode 12: Closing TimeEpisode 13: The Wedding of River Song2011 Christmas special: The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe Series 5 Episode 1: The Eleventh HourEpisode 2: The Beast BelowEpisode 3: Victory of the DaleksEpisode 4: The Time of AngelsEpisode 5: Flesh and StoneEpisode 6: The Vampires of VeniceEpisode 7: Amy's ChoiceEpisode 8: The Hungry EarthEpisode 9: Cold BloodEpisode 10: Vincent and the DoctorEpisode 11: The LodgerEpisode 12: The Pandorica OpensEpisode 13: The Big Bang2010 Christmas special: A Christmas Carol
