Ncuti Gatwa pictured here at the Critics Choice Awards in Los Angeles, March 2022 / Picture Credit: Sthanlee B. Mirador/SIPA USA
Ncuti Gatwa pictured here at the Critics Choice Awards in Los Angeles, March 2022 / Picture Credit: Sthanlee B. Mirador/SIPA USA

The future is here and we are SO into the latest Doctor Who casting! This weekend (May 8th, 2022) saw the announcement that Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa would be stepping into the role of the next Doctor in the hit BBC sci-fi series, Doctor Who. He’ll be taking over from Jodie Whittaker in the role, who had announced in mid-2021 that she would be leaving the show. The BBC also announced that Russell T Davies would be returning to pen the scripts for the new episodes.

Though Jo Martin had made a guest appearance as an unknown version of the Doctor hiding on Earth back in 2020, Gatwa makes history as the first full-time Black actor to take on the position. It’s a huge step in the right direction and, a moment which will allow people of colour who watch the show to see themselves in the lead role for the first time.

Of course, there are also those brain-dead idiots out there who would prefer their sci-fi series stay stuck firmly in the past. Whether they’re trying to accuse the BBC of being ‘woke’ because of Gatwa’s age (he’s actually older than Matt Smith was when he signed on to play the Doctor) or, they point directly at the colour of his skin to say that the broadcaster is now simply ticking boxes, all they are actually doing is showing themselves up to be exactly what many of us already know them to be: bigoted internet trolls with an ugly heart.

Fortunately, the love is heavily outweighing the hate. Here are some of our favourite reactions from across social media, following the announcement:

So don’t be a gammon, or a Karen, or indeed a ‘snowflake’ as so many people on the ‘right’ like to throw around in situations like this. Embrace change, enjoy inclusivity and, perhaps for the first time in your life, take a moment to sit and think exactly why you are so triggered that a person of colour is now playing the Doctor.

And, if after all that you’re still angry and, because we couldn’t put it better ourselves, we wanted to round things off with this message from Twitter user, Joe Oakley.

Toodles!

MORE: Social Buzz: It’s A Sin BAFTAs snub angers fans; Ncuti Gatwa discusses Doctor Who casting


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