Ncuti Gatwa Talks Exit from 'Doctor Who', Bonding with Matt Smith, and New Stage Role
Ncuti Gatwa reflects on leaving ‘Doctor Who’, bonding with Matt Smith, and preparing for his next stage role.
Ncuti Gatwa has opened up about his recent departure from Doctor Who, confirming he left the series in May 2025 after just two seasons. Speaking to The Guardian, Gatwa revealed he bonded with former Doctor 
Matt Smith at Glastonbury, where they had “deep chats” about how demanding the role is. “We’ll never work that hard again,” he said, calling the job both stimulating and exhausting.
Despite the physical and emotional toll, Gatwa remains grateful for the role and its dedicated fanbase. “The Whovians are so deeply in my heart,” he said. On Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, he added, “I’m getting old, and my body was tired,” noting he’s now taken up ballet.
Gatwa also cleared up confusion about his exit from a planned Eurovision appearance, saying he pulled out long before it was publicly announced. He’s currently preparing for the West End premiere of Born With Teeth, co-starring 
Edward Bluemel.