Lost in time!
- Publication: TV Times
- Date: 2025-04-19
- Author:
- Page: 10
- Language: English
NCUTI GATWA on why he's loving life in the TARDIS
After dicing with death on a far-away planet in last week's opening episode of the latest series of BBC's sci-fi adventure Doctor Who, the Fifteenth Time Lord promised to take new companion Belinda Chandra safely home immediately.
However, something is preventing the two of them from returning to the day when no-nonsense nurse Belinda was abducted by alien robots, so now they're going to have to take the scenic route!
This week's instalment, Lux, sees the pair landing in 1952 Miami, where the Doctor (played by Ncuti Gatwa) can't resist showing Belinda (Varada Sethu) all the sights. But they wind up in mortal peril once more when a popular cartoon character called Mr Ring-a-Ding (voiced by The Traitors US host Alan Cumming, see box on opposite page) bursts out of a cinema screen and into the real world - and it's clear he has sinister intentions.
Here, Ncuti, 32, tells us why he's relishing this new batch of intergalactic escapades...
This is your second season as the Doctor, Ncuti. Will we see a new side to the character in this eight-part run?
Yes - we saw a little bit of it in [2024 Christmas special] Toy to the World. I think there are a couple of moments where the Doctor gets quite mean in order to achieve the greater good, and times where you see darker, more vindictive elements of them. That was exciting, because I hadn't seen that before.
Of course, we know them as a hero and a good guy, but the Doctor is a humanoid life form and, therefore, a complex, emotional being who has dark elements to them as well. It's interesting to play with that this season.
What dynamic can we expect between the Doctor and Belinda now that they're time-travelling together, albeit reluctantly on her part? I think viewers can expect to see the Doctor challenged by Belinda in a way that they haven't been before. The Doctor is very used to charming their way out of anything, and ultimately getting what they want, but Belinda doesn't want to be in a spaceship; she wants to go home, and has no interest in exploring the universe with someone who breaks all their promises.
It starts out quite push-and-pull. I think with Ruby Sunday [the Fifteenth Doctor's previous companion, played by Millie Gibson, who returns later this run], it was like two magnets attracted to each other, but this relationship is like they're trying to figure each other out. The amount that the Doctor learns from Belinda about themself, and their less desirable qualities, helps them to grow.
How did that compare to the relationship between you and Varada?
Varada had been on the Doctor Who set before [playing a different character, marine Mundy Flynn, in the 2024 episode Boom]. We had spent a month or two working together and we'd got on really well, so it felt weirdly familiar.
It was exciting as well: I felt a bit like a kid. You know when you show a friend your favourite film, and you talk all the way through it, telling them what's going to happen? It was like that. Everyone was excited by this fresh energy to enter the Whoniverse, and she smashed it.
Are there any monsters who will have us hiding behind the sofa in this series?
I think this season is scarier than the last one; there's a chilling quality that runs across the whole thing. My favourite monster is the one from next week's episode, The Well - that's like a psychological thriller.
Intriguing! Your Doctor has an ever-changing wardrobe. Will there be another collection of amazing ensembles this time? Yes, you can expect a different look in every episode this year - one that is, as always, very suited for their adventures. It's interesting to see what each costume brings out of you as an actor, and how it informs the story. It was nice to continue that fashion journey with the Doctor.
What have been your most memorable experiences as the Doctor so far?
Certainly the first scenes I shot in the interior of the TARDIS; it just felt so epic and monumental to be at the helm of that console, which has been going for over 60 years [Doctor Who first aired in November 1963].
I'd also say the club scene when Ruby sees the Doctor for the first time [in 2023 Christmas special The Church on Ruby Road], because I'd never seen anything like that before. It felt very much like [Doctor Who showrunner] Russell T. Davies was ushering in a new era.
Plus, any scene I did with Bonnie Langford [AKA former companion Mel Bush, who now works for fictional military organisation UNIT] was incredibly defining for the show. I think I'm like her fourth Doctor, so I'm really part of the canon now!
Doctor Who is known for its unexpected twists. Can we expect more surprises this year? Yes, there are big shocks - and I can't tell you any of them. You'll just have to watch and see!
DOCTOR WHO is previewed on p36-37
Captions:
TARDIS team: Ncuti's first season saw the Doctor team up with Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson)
Icon: With Bonnie Langford as Mel
On the run: Belinda and the Doctor land in 1950s Florida
RING THE CHANGES
ALAN CUMMING on voicing an evil mastermind
When it came to finding an actor to voice menacing cartoon character Mr Ring-a-Ding, showrunner Russell T. Davies knew The Good Wife's Alan Cumming would be perfect. And Alan couldn't wait to get started...
'Villains always get the best lines, and are much more juicy to play,' enthuses the Scottish star, 60. 'My favourite kind of villains are the ones that are misunderstood, and while Mr Ring-a-Ding does not have any redeeming qualities, he does start out quite fun, so there is an arc to him I enjoyed.'
This isn't Alan's first foray in the Whoniverse, as he previously played King James I opposite Jodie Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor in 2018 episode The Witchfinders. However, returning to the show this time was a very different kind of thrill.
'I grew up with Doctor Who, so any time i mentioned for me to be in it, the little boy in me jumps,' smiles Alan. 'Also, the last time I was on it, it was on location in a muddy forest, and I was wearing a very itchy wig and beard. So doing a voice, where I could stay warm and wear what I liked, was a great boon!'
Caption: Regal: Alan's previous Doctor Who role was as King James in 2018
Caption: Cruel cartoon: Alan (inset)stars as Mr Ring-a-Ding
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- APA 6th ed.: (2025-04-19). Lost in time!. TV Times p. 10.
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