Things are taking a darker turn.
As Doctor Who season 15 approaches, Ncuti Gatwa has teased that we're going to see a very different side of the Fifteenth Doctor.
Fans have noticed that the upcoming season looks to have a darker tone than the previous instalment, and that will translate to the Doctor too.
During a recent Q&A at the season 15 premiere, Gatwa said: "There’s an episode where you see a change in the Doctor.
"It’s a little bit of what we explored in the Christmas episode - the Doctor’s darker elements that he taps into for the greater good, because that is always his intention.
"But he has got darker elements to him. This is a being that’s been around for a while and he’s picked up a bit of anger, and I’m excited for people to see that."
Joy to the World, the 2024 Christmas special written by Steven Moffat, saw the Doctor show his darker side when he had to make Joy (Nicola Coughlan) feel angry in order to sever her connection to a Villengard briefcase.
He made cruel comments about her mother, leading to Joy revealing that her mother had died in the Covid-19 pandemic - although of course he quickly apologised and explained his plan as soon as Joy was out of danger.
But Gatwa's remarks make it clear that we're set to see more of the Doctor's dark side.
This season, the Fifteenth Doctor will be joined by new companion Belinda Chandra (played by Varada Sethu) for eight new adventures, starting with The Robot Revolution.
Sethu recently told Radio Times magazine of the dynamic between the Doctor and Belinda: "We really are equals in the way that we interact with each other. Russell [T Davies, showrunner] wanted someone who can push back and not be in awe of this all-powerful being."
Belinda is, Sethu noted, "the main character of her own story". She continued: "This mad man has just come crashing into her life, and now she can’t go home to her main plot."
How will she fare when robots come to whisk her away in the season opener? Only time will tell!
Doctor Who returns to BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday 12th April 2025.
Dive into our Doctor Who story guide: reviews of every episode since 1963, plus cast & crew listings, production trivia, and exclusive material from the Radio Times archive.
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Louise Griffin is the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor for Radio Times, covering everything from Doctor Who, Star Wars and Marvel to House of the Dragon and Good Omens. She previously worked at Metro as a Senior Entertainment Reporter and has a degree in English Literature.
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