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“Um, excuse me!”: Doctor Who fans go wild over Ncuti Gatwa’s “caked up” promo photo

By Jordan Robledo

2nd April 2025

BBC

The latest Doctor Who promo photo has sent fans down a thirst-fueled spiral.

On 12 April, the beloved show’s highly anticipated second season – aka series 15 – will make its grand return to the BBC and BBC iPlayer.

The new batch of episodes will see everyone’s favourite Time Lord (Ncuti Gatwa) embark on an exciting adventure alongside his new companion, Belinda Chandra, played by Varada Sethu.

The official synopsis for Doctor Who season two reads: “The Doctor meets Belinda Chandra and begins an epic quest to get her back to Earth.

“But a mysterious force is stopping their return, and the time-travelling TARDIS team must face great dangers, bigger enemies, and wider terrors than ever before. “

With 12 April right around the corner, the show shared a new batch of first-look photos on Instagram, giving fans a sneak peek at the upcoming premiere.

“We’re about to go everywhere in time and space,” the caption read.

However, out of the four photos featured in the exciting post, the snapshot of Gatwa in a form-fitting body suit garnered the most attention from fans – with many complimenting the Barbie actor for his well-defined erm… assets.

In the comment section, one fan wrote: “Out here double cheeked up on a Whosday.”

Another Doctor Who enthusiast tweeted: “When the history books are written, it will say “in 2025 Doctor Who was saved by Ncuti Gatwa’s big booty which gained the show 50 thousand viewers.”

 

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A third fan added: “No one looking at that washing machine.”

In a recent interview on BBC’s The One Show, Gatwa opened up about his new batch of costumes on Doctor Who season two and if he had any input on his wardrobe.

“I wish it was. No, we have an amazing [and] incredible costume designer named Pam Downe, and she’s just so creative and kind of nuts as well,” he explained.

“So she just lays out all these amazing designs, and we just go like, ‘Yes. I want all of that.’ But no, I was actually the boring one. When I first went in for my meeting with Russell [T. Davies], I was like, ‘I got this one idea, and he’s in this little tweed jacket and little tweed hat.’ And Russell was like, ‘What? No. He’s going to have a different outfit each episode.'”

In addition to Gatwa and Sethu, the new season of Doctor Who will feature Rose Ayling-Ellis, Anita Dobson, Christopher Chung, Michelle Greenidge, Jonah Hauer-King, Ruth Madeley, Jemma Redgrave and Susan Twist.

BBC

Millie Gibson is also set to reprise her role as Ruby Sunday, the Doctor’s companion from last season.

Lastly, The Traitors US host Alan Cumming is set to portray a character called Mr Ring-a-Ding, described as a “happy, funny, singalong cartoon “who lives in Sunny Town with his friend Sunshine Sally.

As per the press release: “However, in 1952, after years of repeats in cinemas across the land, Mr Ring-a-Ding suddenly looks beyond the screen and sees the real world outside – and the consequences are terrifying.”

Check out more fan reaction below.

Watch the latest trailer for Doctor Who season two below.