Fans speculate that Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor Who casting was unexpected, contradicting claims of a predetermined two-season tenure, due to an earlier promotional picture.
Hopping Off the TARDIS: Ncuti Gatwa's Sudden Exit from Doctor Who
TV's young gunslinger Ncuti Gatwa bailed out of Doctor Who, bucking the trend by keeping his exit a secret from the public eye. An unused promo image from the finale hints that his final scenes were hurriedly revamped at the last minute.
Before 'The Reality War' graced our screens, BBC and Disney Plus unveiled an image showcasing a jovial moment from the finale starring Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor and Varada Sethu's Belinda, as first pointed out by Bleeding Cool[2].
However, the elated soiree never materialized. Belinda made only a minor appearance until the final moments, with the Doctor concocting a temporal trick, enabling Poppy to become the daughter she'd always dreamed of (typical timey-wimey shenanigans...).
The Doctor then transformed into a familiar guise – Billie Piper. Surprisingly, not a peep about who she'd be playing, without the customary 'Introducing...' and identifying her role as the Doctor[2].
Seems like plans changed, man. Sure, last-minute adjustments happen, but usually, they're not as blatantly evident in promotional material prior to release. One astute Doctor Who fan on Twitter quipped that it "just goes to show how late they switched gears" and how the hastily delivered climax seems to be erratically pushing Gatwa out[2].
Gatwa himself disclosed on the behind-the-scenes analysis of the finale that the decision to depart after two seasons was always in the works due to the immense physical and emotional demands[3]. The actor, clearly feeling the strain, quipped, "I'd love to keep on rolling, but my knees are screaming an entirely different story!"
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Scour the depths of spacetime as Doctor Who's 15h season (aka 'Doctor Who season 2') unfolds on BBC and Disney Plus. For more, check out the Doctor Who season 2 release schedule[4] and explore our list of some of the best sci-fi movies ever created[5]!
Sources:[1] https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/doctor-who/doctor-who-ncuti-gatwa-exit-not-last-minute-plan/[2] https://www.bleedingcool.com/tv/doctor-who-season-14-finales-ending-last-minute-changes-ncuti-gatwa-plus-billie-piper/[3] https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/tv-radio/1703083/Doctor-Who-Ncuti-Gatwa-health-reasons-knees-PDA-News[4] https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/doctor-who-season-14-release-date-time-us-uk-worldwide[5] https://www.totalfilm.com/features/best-sci-fi-movies
- The sudden exit of Ncuti Gatwa from Doctor Who was not last-minute, as he had planned his departure due to the physical and emotional demands of the role.
- The Total Film Newsletter offers a dose of the latest movie news, features, and reviews straight to your inbox.
- Doctor Who's 15th season, also known as Doctor Who season 2, unfolds on BBC and Disney Plus.
- For more information about the release schedule for Doctor Who season 2, check out the specified link.
- Explore a list of some of the best sci-fi movies ever created.
- Promotional material for Doctor Who's latest season hinted at a jovial moment between Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor and Varada Sethu's Belinda, but plans changed at the last minute.
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