The fourth Doctor actor Tom Baker has given his reaction to the latest star of the Doctor Who universe, Ncuti Gatwa.
Speaking with the Radio Times as part of their buildup to the beginning of Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary specials, Tom Baker was interviewed and shown a picture of Gatwa, the newest Doctor to take charge of the TARDIS. Baker responded humorously by saying, “Oh! Is this the next Doctor Who? A handsome young man! Marvelous cheekbones.“
Baker famously played the fourth iteration of the Doctor from 1974 until 1981. The fourth Doctor is considered among fans and critics to be one of the best versions of the character, and helped take the popularity of the show to new heights. The BBC and Disney, who are distributing the series internationally as part of a new deal, will be hoping that Ncuti Gatwa and his new era can have the same sort of impact.
Another Doctor Will Return Soon
In recent years, it’s become somewhat common for former Doctor Who actors to reappear in the show’s modern version. Tom Baker himself reappeared in "The Power of the Doctor," the last episode of the show to air, and was alongside Paul McGann, Colin Baker, Peter Davidson, Sylvester McCoy and Jo Martin. The 60th anniversary isn't the first time that David Tennant came back to the series after his departure, either, as the Scottish actor appeared alongside Matt Smith for the 50th anniversary. It appears that this tradition will continue in the new episodes as Ncuti Gatwa confirmed that he will share the screen with the late actor William Hartnell, who played the first Doctor all the way back in 1963.
“I shouldn't say this but I shot a scene, somehow, with the first-ever Doctor, William Hartnell,” Gatwa noted. “We end up in the same scene together at some point. To see that history and now a Black man is the Doctor is just very wild.” Showrunner Russell T Davies has made it clear that this is the start of a new era, with the first episodes starring Gatwa being labeled as Season 1. Despite the new era and the change in the franchise, which includes an expansion of the world with the cinematic-universe type approach called the Whoniverse (various spinoff shows connecting with the main Doctor Who story), it seems that the new stories will still honor the past iterations of the show.
Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary specials begin airing on November 25.
Source: Radio Times