Sex Education director: Ncuti Gatwa will "absolutely smash" Doctor Who role
Runyararo Mapfumo worked with Gatwa on the hit Netflix show's third season.
One of the directors behind Sex Education season 3, Runyararo Mapfumo, has added her voice to the chorus of those praising Ncuti Gatwa's casting as the Fifteenth Doctor, calling it "genius".
Mapfumo, who worked with Gatwa in his role as Eric on the Netflix series, was speaking exclusively with RadioTimes.com after being chosen for this year's BAFTA Breakthrough scheme, which provides a springboard to creatives in film, games and TV.
When asked about Gatwa's Doctor Who casting, Mapfumo said: "It's just genius casting, isn't it? It's just so good, and he's going to absolutely smash it. I've seen a few episodes of Doctor Who, I've got friends who are huge, huge fans of it and who are super excited - I will become a watcher of that show.
"I think he's just got a charisma and a flair and a style that can only be done by him and is going to be perfect for that role. So I'm really excited to see what he does with that."
Gatwa is set to appear as the Doctor for the first time next year, but at the end of Jodie Whittaker's swansong fans were given a brief glimpse of what the star will bring to the role in a short teaser for things to come.
Asked how it feels to have been chosen for BAFTA Breakthrough, Mapfumo said: "It's been really exciting. It's been a great experience so far. I got to meet some of the other Breakthrough talents already and their work is really brilliant, I've had the chance to check out people that I may not have come across before.
"I've been aware of this initiative and the Breakthrough list for a few years, so it's really exciting to be in the mix this year."
Following her work on the third season of Sex Education, Mapfumo's next project is new Netflix series Kaos, which comes from The End of the F***ing World director Charlie Covell and stars Jeff Goldblum, Janet McTeer and David Thewliss.
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Alongside Mapfumo, individuals chosen for this year's Breakthrough scheme from the UK include: Alex Thomas, Alyx Jones, Ambika Mod, Chloë Fairweather, Diana Olifirova, Emily Brown, Jack Rooke, Jamal Green, Joanna Boateng, Leon Harrop, Marley Morrison, Morag Taylor, Nell Barlow, Nicôle Lecky, Paul Sng, Rose Ayling-Ellis, Sophie Cunningham, Theo Williams, Zachary Soares and Luciana Nascimento.
Meanwhile, US Breakthroughs include: Alex Pritz, Amrit Kaur, Brandon Perea, Charlotte Hornsby, Clare Knight, Daphne Qin Wu, Ellie Foumbi, Megan Fox, Melissa Adeyemo, Rebeca Huntt, Robert Ouyang Rusli and So Yun Um.
Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer with episodes of the classic series also available on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial here.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
