Dawn of the Doctor
- Publication: TV & Satellite Week
- Date: 2023-12-23
- Author:
- Page: 6
- Language: English
Ncuti Gatwa takes over the TARDIS as the 15th Doctor makes his debut in a thrilling Christmas Day adventure
Ever since Ncuti Gatwa was announced as the latest actor to portray the Doctor in May 2022, viewers have been eagerly anticipating his arrival. Now, the wait is finally over as the 15th Doctor embarks on his first adventure in this year's Doctor Who Christmas special, titled The Church on Ruby Road.
The festive episode also introduces us to the Doctor's new companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson), who was abandoned as a baby on a church doorstep in the snow 18 years ago.
'That baby is now Ruby Sunday, explains showrunner Russell T. Davies. 'She's been adopted into a lovely family, but it's time for Ruby to start investigating her history. There's a Time Lord about to burst into her life, while Ruby is strangely being followed by bad luck everywhere she goes - but why?' As TV&Satellite Week meets Davies, Gatwa and Gibson in a London hotel to talk about the exciting episode, which also features appearances from Davina McCall and Anita Dobson, the enormity of it is still sinking in.
BIG RESPONSIBILITY
'It won't be real until the show actually airs, smiles Gatwa. 'In my head, I am still not the Doctor - it's like an amazing dream. But this Doctor is very human, quite emotional and a bit of a joker. Starring in a show that's beloved by audiences all over the world is familiar territory for Gatwa, whose breakthrough role came in 2019 as Sex Education's Eric Effiong. But portraying the
Doctor comes with a 60-year legacy that Gatwa doesn't take lightly.
'I've been part of large projects in the past, but this is different because it sits so deeply in the heart of the British public, explains the star. 'You know how much it means to people - it's like we've been passed a baton.
As always, the Time Lord's relationship with his companion is crucial, and Gibson reckons fans will love the chemistry between the Doctor and Ruby.
"They are like two schoolgirls gossiping and plotting!' explains Gibson, 19, who played Kelly Neelan in Coronation Street. "Their dynamic is very platonic, and you see how much they care for one another from the beginning?
For fashion-loving Gatwa, one of the joys of playing the Doctor was the chance to help choose the character's dapper new look. In my first meeting with the producers, I had quite a traditional costume idea, recalls the 31-year-old. "They told me it was boring and wanted me to go wild - and I was like, "Wow, you picked the right person for that!" Pam Downe, our costume designer, and I wanted to go on a bit of a journey through British culture. Because it's a quintessential British show, we can explore this Doctor through fashion a little bit.'
FAN FAVOURITE
Although Doctor Who specials are a staple of Christmas viewing, The Church on Ruby Road will be the first to actually air on Christmas Day since 2017, and Gibson admits to feeling nervous at the prospect. A lot of people will be watching, and that's terrifying, she says. 'Even people who don't watch Doctor Who are going to put it on because it's Christmas Day. I'm just hoping viewers will be very jolly on Prosecco when they're watching!'
Captions:
Ncuti Gatwa as the new Doctor
Millie Gibson plays Ruby Sunday
Anita Dobson joins the cast as Mrs Flood
GOBLIN MODE
It's not long before the 15th Doctor encounters his first deadly enemy when he and Ruby square off against the mysterious Goblin King and Millie Gibson was excited about coming face to face with a Doctor Who monster for the first time. 'What's so beautiful about Doctor Who is that the monsters are hardly ever CGI,' she says. 'They make these monsters, and you can really see them and actually act with them. That's really cool. I warmed to the Goblin King towards the end of the episode. I found him cute!'
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- APA 6th ed.: (2023-12-23). Dawn of the Doctor. TV & Satellite Week p. 6.
- MLA 7th ed.: "Dawn of the Doctor." TV & Satellite Week [add city] 2023-12-23, 6. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: "Dawn of the Doctor." TV & Satellite Week, edition, sec., 2023-12-23
- Turabian: "Dawn of the Doctor." TV & Satellite Week, 2023-12-23, section, 6 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Dawn of the Doctor | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Dawn_of_the_Doctor | work=TV & Satellite Week | pages=6 | date=2023-12-23 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=5 December 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Dawn of the Doctor | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Dawn_of_the_Doctor | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=5 December 2025}}</ref>
