The Fifteenth Doctor | |
---|---|
Doctor Who character | |
First regular appearance | "The Church on Ruby Road" (2023) |
Introduced by | Russell T Davies |
Portrayed by | Ncuti Gatwa |
Preceded by | David Tennant (Fourteenth Doctor) |
Information | |
Tenure | 25 December 2023 – present |
No of series | 1 |
Appearances | 9 stories (10 episodes) |
Companions |
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Chronology |
The Fifteenth Doctor is the current incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is portrayed by Rwandan-Scottish actor Ncuti Gatwa.[1] His first series companion is Ruby Sunday, played by Millie Gibson.[2]
Within the series' narrative, the Doctor is a millennia-old alien Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, with somewhat unknown origins, who travels in time and space in their TARDIS, frequently with companions. Usually, at the end of each incarnation's life, the Doctor regenerates; as a result, their physical appearance and personality changes. However, the Fifteenth Doctor emerged unconventionally, via "bi-generation", in which he split from his predecessor, the Fourteenth Doctor's body, rather than replacing him, allowing both incarnations to co-exist. In contrast to his predecessors, Gatwa portrays a Doctor who is attempting to let go of much of his recent emotional trauma, with a more emotionally balanced, liberated, fun-loving, and affectionate outward persona. In contrast to previous Doctors, the Fifteenth Doctor's stories include a greater focus on fantasy elements, intended by showrunner Russell T Davies to "increase the danger" and have a "bigger, wider sense of imagination".[3]
His first episode as lead actor aired on 25 December 2023,[4] and his first full series premiered on 11 May 2024.[5]