It's the news some had been dreading, others had been praying for, and most had been expecting. It's been a hugely turbulent few years as a Doctor Whofan. Chris Chibnall's stint as showrunner in the late 2010s sparked disquiet within the fanbase and led to a decline in viewing figures. Hoping to salvage a franchise with huge potential, the BBC teamed up with Disney and brought back showrunner Russell T. Davies for a new era, packed with big-budget set pieces, plenty of callbacks, and even a new face of the series in Ncuti Gatwa.

Back in 2022, Sex Education alum Ncuti Gatwa made history when he was announced as the newest and 14th Doctor in Doctor Who. Becoming the first black actor to play the title role full-time, Gatwa's casting was trailblazing, but his tenure in the coveted role didn't last long. After two seasons under a short-lived co-production between BBC and Disney+, Gatwa said goodbye to the role, leading the entire franchise into limbo.