Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor Who tenure has only just began, but already it’s been overshadowed by shocking cast shake-ups.
On Christmas Day 2023, Whovians everywhere got to see Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor in action for his first full episode as well as getting to know Millie Gibson’s Ruby Sunday, the Time Lord’s new time-traveling companion. With the pair being pitched as a package deal going into this spring’s season 14, officially branded as season 1, it seemed like Gatwa and Gibson would be the show’s co-leads for a while to come. And yet, not even one month after the premiere of her first episode, news has arrived that the actress has already left the series.
But, wait, has Gibson been fired? How many more episodes will she appear in? And who is replacing her? Here’s what we know.
Was Millie Gibson dropped from Doctor Who?
As broken by the The Mirror on Jan. 19, Millie Gibson is reportedly not returning as a regular for Doctor Who season 15, aka the second season to feature Gatwa’s Doctor. Due to a fast production turnaround, although the run won’t air until 2025, filming began prior to Christmas 2023.
According to The Mirror’s insiders, Gibson shot for three months on season 15 last year and is set to return for a little bit more filming in the coming weeks to “tie up loose ends.” In the meantime, shooting is continuing with Gatwa working alongside a new female lead, Varada Sethu (Andor).
Due to this exit coming so swiftly after her entrance, and The Mirror‘s use of the word “dropped” in its headline, it’s being widely assumed that Gibson has been fired or else left the production under acrimonious circumstances. However, it’s important to note that there is nothing indicating this in The Mirror‘s report. In fact, insider sources seem very positive about the situation.
“Russell [T. Davies, showrunner] is keeping things moving and isn’t letting the grass grow, that’s for sure,” reads one quote from a source.
Likewise, there’s certainly no bad blood between Gatwa and Gibson. In the wake of the news breaking, the Barbie and Sex Education star took to Instagram to share the love for his (former) co-star.
By the sounds of it, Gibson shot about half of Gatwa’s second season before Sethu joined as the new companion, so it’s likely this was simply part of Davies’ plan to keep things fresh all along. What’s more, there’s no indication that Gibson is gone for good, as The Mirror suggests she will return in some form after her exit. This could reflect how former companions like Freeman Agyeman (Martha Jones), Catherine Tate (Donna Noble), and Billie Piper (Rose Tyler) all came back in recurring capacities once their own trips in the TARDIS were done.
Who is new Ncuti Gatwa’s new Doctor Who companion?
With Gibson no longer a regular, the next plucky young human woman to accompany the Doctor in his adventures through time and space will be Varada Sethu, who should already be familiar to avid sci-fi fans with a Disney Plus subscription.
Sethu is most known for playing Cinta Kaz in eight episodes of acclaimed Star Wars drama Andor, although she can also be seen in the likes of Now You See Me 2, Jurassic World: Dominion, and British action series Strike Back. While we don’t know any details of her character just yet, spoilery set photos have leaked online depicting Sethu shooting with Gatwa on location. Interestingly, in contrast to the 19-year-old Gibson, Sethu is 32 years old and so is actually older than the 31-year-old Gatwa.
According to The Mirror‘s sources, the actress is fitting into the show perfectly and getting on with the Doctor Who family like a house time machine on fire.
“Varada is a real gem,” shares the insider. “Russell was just blown away by her talent. The cast and crew have really warmed to her and he’s sure the fans will too.”
All in all, despite the drama surrounding this casting change, it appears to be a textbook example of Doctor Who getting a new companion. So quit worrying, Who fans, we don’t have another Christopher Eccleston situation on our hands.
