Ncuti Gatwa has provided a long-awaited update on the state of Doctor Who beyond 2025. A 2024 Christmas Special, penned by Steven Moffat, will grace our screens this festive season, followed by Season 15, Gatwa’s second as the Time Lord, in 2025. Beyond that, Whovians around the world have waited nervously for news.
While the sci-fi series, which celebrated its 60th anniversary in November last year, has yet to be renewed for Season 16, Gatwa’s optimism should alleviate fan fears that the show could face the dreaded axe.
Speaking on The Graham Norton Show (as reported by The Radio Times), Gatwa confirmed that a third season of Doctor Who would be shot in 2025. “It is all going well,” the Sex Education actor said. “We did the second series this year, the Christmas special is coming up, and we are filming a third series next year.”
In September, showrunner Russell T Davies shared a slightly different opinion on the third season, suggesting no decisions would be made until the second season had broadcast (a season that features a brand-new villain, recently cast). “That’s what we’re expecting, that’s what we’ve always been heading towards,” the Years and Years creator wrote.
Gatwa is appearing on The Graham Norton Show tonight (Friday, October 11), alongside Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, Miranda Hart, Kevin Kline, and Rag ‘n’ Bone Man.
Doctor Who returns on Christmas Day with the 2024 Christmas Special, Joy to the World. More than 800 episodes of Doctor Who and associated spinoffs, including The Sarah Jane Adventures, Torchwood, and Class, are available on the BBC iPlayer.