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Doctor Who Showrunner Russell T. Davies didn't have much to say about the 2026 Christmas Special, but Ncuti Gatwa did about their run.
Posted in: BBC, TV | Tagged: doctor who
Doctor Who: Ncuti Gatwa Had More to Say This Weekend Than RTD Did
Doctor Who Showrunner Russell T. Davies didn't have much to say about the 2026 Christmas Special, but Ncuti Gatwa did about their run.
Article Summary
- Doctor Who revival seasons from 2005-2022 are heading to AMC in the U.S., bringing the modern Doctors back to streaming.
- Russell T. Davies didn't offer a 2026 Doctor Who Christmas Special update despite fan hopes at a live event.
- Ncuti Gatwa used his SNL UK monologue to joke about Doctor Who ratings and criticism of his emotional Fifteenth Doctor.
- Gatwa also addressed the Billie Piper regeneration twist, admitting he does not understand the Doctor Who surprise either.
Heading into the weekend, we were feeling pretty good with how things were looking with Doctor Who. With the Disney Era behind us, we learned that AMC Global Media had struck a deal to be the streaming home in the U.S. for the 2005-2022 Doctor Who revival seasons (13 seasons and 176 episodes, including all the series' special episodes). That means Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi, and Jodie Whittaker are back on in the U.S. – and based on what the cable network has been posting, it looks like BBC America will be back in the "Whoniverse" business, too. That means Showrunner Russell T. Davies's upcoming Christmas Special will be in American viewers' stockings this December.
Speaking of the Christmas Special, our hopes were high that the good news about the streaming deal would be followed by Davies offering some updates during a conversation with Artistic Director Francesca Goodridge to help raise funds for Sherman Theatre. Along with a deep dive into his professional life, insights into his time on shows such as Doctor Who, Queer as Folk, and It's A Sin, and a look at what the future might hold for him, the event also afforded Davies the opportunity to answer questions from Goodrige and those submitted by attendees. Interestingly (and somewhat surprisingly), Davies didn't offer a status report during the special event. With seven months still to go and it only being a special, not a season, there's still enough production time for things to happen. That said, we weren't expecting both the news and rumor pipelines to run as dry as they have been.
One person who didn't mind discussing Doctor Who this weekend was SNL UK Season 1 finale host Ncuti Gatwa (Doctor Who, Sex Education), aka the Fifteenth Doctor. During their opening monologue, Gatwa addressed those who claim fans have lost interest in the show over recent seasons. "I've had so many fantastic roles in my career. Millions of you watched me as Eric in 'Sex Education,' and then about 12 of you watched me in 'Doctor Who.' Maybe that's why I kept crying," Gatwa joked, referring to some fans who complained that their Doctor was a bit too teary-eyed.
As for the question marks surrounding their Fifteenth Doctor regenerating into Billie Piper's "Sixteenth Doctor," Gatwa offered a great response that's still being analyzed by fans on social media (Gatwa looking at the camera really sells it). "Joking aside, it was genuinely a magical role. In fact, it was the first time my parents were truly proud of my career. When I told them I got the part, they said, 'Finally, a doctor in the family.' Even though I have since regenerated into Billie Piper … I don't understand it either," Gatwa shared.
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