As Doctor Who prepares for its 60th-anniversary celebration in 2023, there’s been a lot of talk about the beloved series as of late. Audiences are excited to see David Tennant and Catherine Tate reprise their roles, but there are many questions still being asked as the release date draws ever nearer. For example, many are still unsure if or how incoming actor Ncuti Gatwa will debut as The Doctor – though we now might have gotten an answer thanks to Neil Patrick Harris.
Doctor Who’s Russell T. Davies has been very cryptic about how David Tennant’s Doctor returns and when we’ll see Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor in action. Well, after incoming guest-star villain Neil Patrick Harris shared his thoughts on the Doctor, it’s possible we might have a better idea of when he’ll appear.
What Doctor Who's Neil Patrick Harris Had To Say About Ncuti Gatwa
Unlike Ncuti Gatwa, Neil Patrick Harris has been confirmed to appear in the 60th anniversary Doctor Who special in 2023, and he recently spoke to Variety about the Sex Education star playing the show's new titular character. Harris showered Gatwa with compliments and had nothing but kind things to say about the actor, who is also starring with Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in Barbie. Said Harris,
I got to meet and interact with him a bit, and he’s glorious. He’ll be the first gay Doctor, which is going to be super cool, a sexier Doctor:
It sounds like Neil Patrick Harris is a hundred percent on board with Ncuti Gatwa as the new Doctor, but there’s something curious about that statement that I’d love to know more about. Did he inadvertently tip the fans off to when they’ll see Gatwa premiere as The Doctor?
Do Neil Patrick Harris' Comments' Allude To The New Doctor's Debut?
Neil Patrick Harris stated that he had some time to meet Ncuti Gatwa, which raises questions about where the two had a chance to interact. Admittedly there are probably many chances for Hollywood actors to rub shoulders, especially when someone like Doctor Who’s showrunner Russell T. Davies is there as a common link. With that said, I wonder if Harris slyly revealed that Gatwa was on the set of the 60th anniversary production and will be involved in the special.
For the moment, Doctor Who fans aren’t entirely clear whether or not Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor will appear in the 60th-anniversary special. Under normal circumstances, one would assume Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor will transform into Gatwa’s version following her final episode, but most of the public filming we’ve seen thus far has only shown David Tennant, Neil Patrick Harris, Catherine Tate, and recently departed actor Bernard Cribbins.
Without an unofficial or official sighting of Ncuti Gatwa in any public places Doctor Who filmed, Neil Patrick Harris’ quote might be the closest thing we have to allude to Gatwa’s involvement in the 60th anniversary. Even then, that’s a vague quote that doesn’t tell us anything beyond the fact that the two actors met, so it’s not like it's a confirmation either. We’ll just have to keep our eyes peeled for any clues or potential announcements about the new Doctor’s involvement and any other guest stars who might appear.
Doctor Who is on a long break before Jodie Whittaker’s final episode, which will air in the fall, but anyone with an HBO Max Subscription can stream the series in the meantime. Now might be a good time to revisit Jodie Whittaker’s run and remember her greatest moments in the role before her goodbye later this year.
