Doctor Who moves to Disney+ in the U.S. with new star Ncuti Gatwa: 'It can go anywhere'

Joey Nolfi

25 October 2022 at 10:25 am·2-min read

Doctor Who is moving in to the House of Mouse.

The beloved British sci-fi series about an era-hopping time lord will stream its upcoming new season on Disney+ in the United States, though it will remain on the BBC in the United Kingdom. This comes via new star Ncuti Gatwa, who confirmed the news on Tuesday's episode of Live With Kelly & Ryan.

"Doctor Who is a British institution, really," Gatwa — who rose to prominence on Netflix's Sex Education — told the ABC talk show hosts. "It's got a lot of possibilities and it can go anywhere. It feels very exciting to have that baton handed over to me from the incredible actors that have played [the part]."

Gatwa praised the expansion to Disney+ as he prepares to take over the lead role from Jodie Whittaker, noting that the show is "now accessible to the world" through Disney+, which also recently launched mega-popular series and films like She-Hulk, Hocus Pocus 2, and a wealth of Star Wars franchise original content.

Jodie Whittaker attends the World premiere of Doctor Who at the Curzon Bloomsbury in London. Picture date: Tuesday October 11, 2022.; Ncuti Gatwa poses for a photograph in the winners room during the BAFTA Cymru Awards 2022 at St David's Hall on October 9, 2022 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)

Ian West/PA Images via Getty Images; Matthew Horwood/Getty Images 'Doctor Who' star Jodie Whittaker is WhatsApping replacement Ncuti Gatwa 'loads'

Showrunner Russell T. Davies will return for new episodes after reviving the program in 2005, and will replace the outgoing Chris Chibnall in the role.

Whittaker, the first woman to play the popular character since its original 1963 debut, recently praised the casting of Gatwa.

"I just think it's the most exciting casting," Whittaker told EW. "For us to finish, and the baton going not only to Russell but to him, what a thing for us. Because no matter where this goes, he's going to bring on such a huge fandom that won't have seen Doctor Who. So they'll potentially look back at the history and it'll be us, and we're a part of that now, and part of the canon, which is really exciting."

New episodes of Doctor Who are set to premiere on Disney+ in November 2023.

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