Scots Dr Who actor Ncuti Gatwa reflects on past struggles including being homeless

Doctor Who's new lead Ncuti Gatwa has opened up about his past financial struggles, revealing that despite his success, he still worries about money.

The Scottish actor, who arrived in the UK as a young refugee from Rwanda, spoke candidly about the days when he found it tough to make ends meet prior to his breakthrough role in Netflix's 2019 series Sex Education.

Now, even after landing one of television's most iconic roles as the charismatic Doctor, Ncuti, aged 31, admits to regularly checking his bank account and ensuring there's food in the fridge. His portrayal of the Time Lord has catapulted him into millionaire status, yet he confesses: "I still wake up and check my bank balance, or I check if there's food in my fridge. That's the fuel that drives me stay booked and busy."

During the toughest times, Ncuti faced homelessness and had to borrow money to attend auditions. However, his fortunes changed five years ago with the role of Eric Effiong in Sex Education, which lasted four seasons and ultimately led to his casting as the 15th Doctor in the legendary BBC show.

Speaking to Sirius XM, he reflected on the impact of his earlier hardships: "When you don't know where your next meal is coming from, you remember that it inspires you to keep booking more jobs. It's all very well for me to sit here in my lovely shirts and say the hard times are what fuelled me. But the hard times are hard times and actors all over know that story. It makes the good times even sweeter.", reports the Mirror.

Ncuti, who also starred in the 2023 Barbie movie, is poised to become the highest-earning Doctor yet, following a collaboration between the BBC and Disney Plus to take the show global. In 2022, his company Gemini Moon revealed his personal stake to be worth over £700,000.

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