The BBC has confirmed that Doctor Who will return sooner than expected on 12 April, marking Ncuti Gatwa’s second season as the Time Lord.
The news had already been revealed in a surprise advert that aired during the BBC’s coverage of the U20s Six Nations Rugby match between England and Scotland on Friday (21 February).
The manner of the announcement raised some eyebrows among fans, with some calling it “random”, given that there was no formal announcement surrounding the advert.
The BBC has now confirmed that the season will launch on BBC iPlayer and internationally on Disney Plus at 8am on 12 April. The episode will air on BBC One later that day.
The release date is earlier than expected since the BBC had previously said the season was arriving later in the year.
The new season will welcome the Doctor’s brand new companion Belinda Chandra, played by Andor actor Varada Sethu. She will be joining Gatwa and his first companion Ruby Sunday, played by former Coronation Street actor Millie Gibson.
Emmy Award winner Alan Cumming will guest star in the second episode as Mr Ring-a-Ding – a runaway cartoon character who discovers the real world, with terrifying consequences.
The series showrunner Russell T Davies has said in a statement that it was an “honour” to welcome the actor aboard the TARDIS.
“Only Alan Cumming could give a runaway cartoon so much wit, malice, danger and fun,” said Davies. “He makes the whole universe of Doctor Who wilder and madder than ever.”
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Also joining the cast is Strictly Come Dancing star Rose Ayling-Ellis, who won the BBC dancing competition as the show’s first ever deaf contestant in 2021.
Previously announced cast members include Anita Dobson, Christopher Chung, Michelle Greenidge, Jonah Hauer-King, Ruth Madeley, Jemma Redgrave and Susan Twist.
The announcement comes after the future of Gatwa’s involvement in the show remains uncertain.
It was reported last week that the Sex Education actor was “on the verge of quitting” and was looking towards potential roles in Hollywood instead.
A source told The Sun: “Ncuti doesn’t want to be tied to the series beyond this and plans to relocate to Los Angeles with several Hollywood projects standing by for him.
“His team also see a lot of fan backlash from the series, and don’t want the perception of him still being The Doctor to get in the way of any future work.
The show’s bosses have reportedly postponed making any decision on the third season until his second season has aired later this year. The Independent has contacted the BBC and Gatwa’s representatives for comment.
Gatwa’s exit would be the earliest since Christopher Eccleston, who left the series after one season in 2005. Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi and Jodie Whittaker each did three seasons before handing over the reins to the next Doctor.
