In May, Disney and the BBC will launch the first full season of the new “Doctor Who” series, which will see Ncuti Gatwa taking over the reins of the TARDIS, along with his new companion, Ruby Sunday, who Millie Gibson plays.

The new season picks up after the Christmas Special, “The Church On Ruby Road”, which was released on the BBC in the UK and on Disney+ around the world.  The new season will see the part facing new monsters as they head off in the TARDIS for many out-of-this-world adventures. 

The new season will also see an all-star lineup, including returnees Yasmin Finney and Bonnie Langford, who will reprise their roles as Rose Noble and Mel Bush. As well as introducing Jinkx Monsoon as the Doctor’s most powerful enemy yet, Jonathan Groff in a mysterious key role, Indira Varma as the Duchess, and Lenny Rush as Morris, to name just a few…

With Disney coming on board as a new partner, the show, which has recently celebrated its 60th anniversary, is having a soft reboot, similar to what happened in 2005, when the BBC brought the show back after two decades. 

Filming is already underway on a second season of “Doctor Who”, but questions are already being asked about the future of both Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson.

Recently, Millie Gibson did an interview with Fabric Magazine, and she was asked about her plans for 2024, to which she said,

‘I think, now that the strike’s over, I’ll probably be auditioning again for parts and seeing what’s out there.’

She added that she wants some more challenges in her future roles:

“Every year has seen such change for me, it’s hard to think what might come next. I’d like to play a villain… If not that I think I’m really intrigued by biopic roles that you really need to research. I think that would be a great challenge. I don’t know, I think I’m just excited to see what’s to come.”

It’s important to note that actors do often have multiple jobs lined up at any one time, especially since most shows aren’t filming all year around, though Millie has experienced that, having worked on the British soap, “Coronation Street”, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to see the actress wants to explore other roles while she isn’t shooting new “Doctor Who”.

But it’s also worth pointing out that companions often change regularly, with most Doctors having multiple companions during their seasons, with the majority of compansions only doing two seasons plus some specials.

And earlier this summer, Ncuti Gatwa spoke with the Rolling Strong and revealed that he misses working in theatre and said:

“It kept me warm and it held me all night, even if I was broke. But I’m planning on getting back to it next year, after I finish season two of Doctor Who,” he says. 

Ncuti also added more speculation to the idea that he might only stick around for two seasons, following an interview with the Radio Times over Christmas, saying:

‘No idea, no plan. I just know that I’m loving it and my love for it is growing.’

With the unique nature of how “Doctor Who” has worked over the last sixty years, fans have gotten used to new Doctors coming and going, with no Doctor staying around too long, so it’s only natural for actors to be looking at these roles as for a limited time.   And taking on other roles and jobs while “Doctor Who” isn’t filming is to be expected.

But there is additional pressure on the new “Doctor Who” series now that Disney is involved in the show’s funding as part of the deal to distribute the show globally.  Disney has only apparently signed on for two seasons plus specials, so the viewership numbers will be a major test of whether the partnership will continue long-term.  Regardless of the deal between the BBC and Disney, it’s likely “Doctor Who” would continue regardless, though likely with a much smaller budget.

Ultimately, how long Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson remain on the new show is going to come down to multiple factors: whether they enjoy working on the show, if the creatives and executives like their work, and most importantly, if fans watch the show.

The show has already come under some negative feedback for multiple issues, including Disney’s involvement, and while the Christmas special was the third most watched show on Christmas Day in the UK, the viewing numbers are drastically down on previous instalments, and no Disney+ viewership data has been revealed.

“Doctor Who” returns to BBC One and BBC iPlayer in May 2024 for the UK and Disney+ for the rest of the world.  And you can find the recent specials also available to stream now on the BBC iPlayer in the UK and on Disney+ around the world.

Are you excited for the return of “Doctor Who”?  Let us know on social media!

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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