After a turbulent two-season run, Ncuti Gatwa has officially stepped down as the Fifteenth Doctor in the long-running sci-fi juggernaut Doctor Who. His final appearance aired in the season 15 finale titled “Wish World”, which ended in dramatic fashion: with the Doctor regenerating into a new form — not a new face, but a very familiar one.
In a twist that stunned fans across the globe, Billie Piper, who originally played the Tenth Doctor’s beloved companion Rose Tyler, appeared in the closing regeneration sequence. The credits added to the mystery, listing:
“Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor. Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor. And introducing Billie Piper.”
Whether Piper is officially stepping into the role of the Sixteenth Doctor remains unclear. The production has made no formal announcements confirming her as the permanent lead or suggesting whether her appearance is a brief stunt or part of a larger story arc, similar to David Tennant’s return in 2023. However, fans are buzzing about the possibility of Doctor Who going full circle — and perhaps leveraging Piper’s immense popularity to reignite interest in a franchise currently struggling with sinking ratings and viewer backlash.
Ncuti Gatwa’s historic casting as the first Black and openly gay actor to play the Doctor made headlines worldwide — but what followed was a whirlwind of controversy. From the start, concerns mounted that the series under Gatwa would place ideological messaging ahead of compelling storytelling, and many fans argue those fears were realized.
His Doctor, characterized by a string of emotionally heavy scenes, frequent tears, and LGBTQ romance arcs, marked a stark tonal shift from previous incarnations. While praised in some progressive circles, the direction alienated a portion of the show’s traditional fanbase. The inclusion of trans, gay, and disabled characters in unusually high frequency led critics to accuse the series of sacrificing narrative cohesion for forced representation.
Adding fuel to the fire, Gatwa made headlines off-screen as well. He openly criticized “mediocre TV made by white people”, and in response to viewer criticism of the show’s direction, told fans that if they didn’t like the stories, they could “turn off the TV.”
And many did.
According to Deadline, viewership cratered across Gatwa’s run. Series 15’s premiere attracted just 3.6 million viewers, down from 4 million for his debut season and a steep drop from 5.8 million for Jodie Whittaker’s final season premiere. Subsequent episodes continued the trend, with some episodes reportedly losing half their viewership compared to Whittaker’s numbers — who herself had already overseen a period of ratings decline.
This drop in viewership came despite a massive co-distribution deal with Disney+, which many believed would revive the brand with international appeal. But even with a global platform, the audience didn’t follow.
In recent weeks, rumors swirled that Gatwa was pressured to leave after refusing to appear at Eurovision to present scores — a move said to be prompted by his unwillingness to be associated with Israel’s participation. While the timeline of the finale suggests his exit was planned well in advance, the incident added to the perception that Gatwa’s presence was a liability the BBC could no longer afford.
Despite the chaos, showrunner Russell T Davies claims that production on season 16 is already underway. But there’s a catch: Disney has not yet confirmed continued partnership, and the BBC has made no public commitment to season 16 either. Whether Doctor Who remains in production at its current scale — or at all — is an open question.
As for Billie Piper, her surprise appearance opens the door to either a creative renaissance or a last-ditch effort to stabilize a faltering franchise. Her return — especially in the Doctor’s form — might be nostalgia bait, but it’s the kind that Doctor Who has successfully used before.
