BBC announces Ncuti Gatwa as the 14th Doctor Who.

by Thinus Ferreira

The BBC has announced that actor Ncuti Gatwa (29) is taking over from Jodie Whittaker as the 14th Doctor in its Doctor Who British science fiction series, making him the first black actor in the history of the role.

The Scottish actor who was born in Rwanda, is known for his role as Eric Effiong in the Netflix series Sex Education and is replacing Jodie Whittaker who took the role in 2017.

In a press statement from the BBC, Ncuti Gatwa says "There aren't quite the words to describe how I'm feeling. A mix of deeply honoured, beyond excited and of course a little bit scared".

"This role and show means so much to so many around the world, including myself, and each one of my incredibly talented predecessors has handled that unique responsibility and privilege with the utmost care. I will endeavour my utmost to do the same."

He says showrunner "Russell T Davies is almost as iconic as the Doctor himself and being able to work with him is a dream come true. His writing is dynamic, exciting, incredibly intelligent and fizzing with danger. An actor's metaphorical playground".

"The entire team has been so welcoming and truly give their hearts to the show. And so as much as it's daunting, I'm aware I'm joining a really supportive family. Unlike the Doctor, I may only have one heart but I am giving it all to this show."

In the press release Russell T Davies says "The future is here and it's Ncuti! Sometimes talent walks through the door and it's so bright and bold and brilliant, I just stand back in awe and thank my lucky stars".

"Ncuti dazzled us, seized hold of the Doctor and owned those TARDIS keys in seconds. It's an honour to work with him, and a hoot, I can't wait to get started. I'm sure you're dying to know more, but we're rationing ourselves for now, with the wonderful Jodie's epic finale yet to come. But I promise you, 2023 will be spectacular!"

Charlotte Moore, BBC chief content officer, says "Ncuti has an incredible dynamism, he's a striking and fearless young actor whose talent and energy will set the world alight and take Doctor Who on extraordinary adventures under Russell T Davies' new era."

South African viewers are unable to watch Doctor Who. 

South African viewers used to watch Doctor Who on BBC Studios Africa's BBC Entertainment channel on MultiChoice's DStv, then the BBC First and BBC Brit channels, and then suddenly in a non-sensical move to MultiChoice's video streaming service Showmax for its 10th and 11th seasons, after which Showmax dumped Doctor Who. 

Doctor Who isn't available on the BBC's streaming service Britbox, neither is it available on Netflix SA.

ALSO READ: TV CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK. Who caused this? DStv subscribers short-changed as Doctor Who suddenly swirls back for its 11th season - but to Showmax, not BBC First - with the never-shown 10th season suddenly becoming a phone booth burn-off.

Jodie Whittaker quits the BBC's Doctor Who as Thirteenth Doctor along with showrunner Chris Chibnall, will be seen in season 13 and 3 film-length specials in 2022.

by Thinus Ferreira

Jodie Whittaker is leaving the British science-fiction series Doctor Who after the end of season together with showrunner Chris Chibnall who revealed in a BBC press release on Thursday that they both decided years ago that they will both quit after three seasons.

Jodie Whittaker will remain as the Thirteenth Doctor in season 13 and 3 feature-length specials in 2022.

The first of the three Doctor Who specials will be released on 1 January 2022, followed by a second episode a few months later. Jodie Whittaker's final appearance will be towards the end of 2022 to coincide with the BBC's Centenary celebrations. 

Jodie Whittaker joined Doctor Who in 2017 as the Time Lord for the 11th season that was filmed in Cape Town and the surrounding area when MultiChoice's Showmax took over the African rights of the series from BBC Studios' BBC Brit channel on DStv, along with big hype for her first season in 2018.

After that BBC Africa and Showmax suddenly fell completely silent as the series completely disappeared after all the manufactured PR fanfare due to underwhelming viewership figures on Showmax, leaving fans stranded without answers or any options to continue watching it.

Jodie Whittaker was cast as the first female Time Lord by Chris Chibnall who in return replaced Steven Moffat’s shoes as the Doctor Who showrunner four years ago.

Chris Chibnall added Tosin Cole (Ryan), Mandip Mandip Gill (Yaz), as well as Bradley Walsh (Graham) as her new companions, and eventually also Sacha Dhawan as The Master and Jo Martin as the Fugitive Doctor.

"Jodie and I made a three series and out pact with each other at the start of this once-in-a-lifetime blast. So now our shift is done, and we're handing back the Tardis keys. Jodie’s magnificent, iconic Doctor has exceeded all our high expectations," says Chris Chibnall in the BBC press release announcing that he's quitting Doctor Who - an open secret inside Doctor Who fandom for months.

"Jodie's magnificent, iconic Doctor has exceeded all our high expectations. She's been the gold standard leading actor, shouldering the responsibility of being the first female Doctor with style, strength, warmth, generosity and humour."

"She captured the public imagination and continues to inspire adoration around the world, as well as from everyone on the production. I can't imagine working with a more inspiring Doctor – so I'm not going to!"

Olly Alexander has been widely rumoured to take over as the next Time Lord in Doctor Who when Jodie Whittaker's take on the doctor renegerates.

"Jodie Whittaker says "In 2017 I opened my glorious gift box of size 13 shoes. I could not have guessed the brilliant adventures, worlds and wonders I was to see in them."

"My heart is so full of love for this show, for the team who make it, for the fans who watch it and for what it has brought to my life".

"I cannot thank Chris enough for entrusting me with his incredible stories. We knew that we wanted to ride this wave side by side, and pass on the baton together. So here we are, weeks away from wrapping on the best job I have ever had. I don't think I'll ever be able to express what this role has given me. I will carry the Doctor and the lessons I've learnt forever."

Piers Wenger, BBC drama director, says "Over the last four years Chris and Jodie have made Doctor Who history and their time on the show is indelibly marked on our memories".

"From Rosa Parks to Ascension of the Cybermen, Chris and Jodie have given Doctor Who some of its most life-affirming and tear-jerking moments to date and we are beyond excited to see what they have in store for us in the new series this autumn."

"Jodie's final adventure to mark the BBC's Centenary in 2022 is set to be a Doctor Who Special to remember. I'd like to thank them both for their incredible work on the show."

BBC Studios' Doctor Who on Showmax taking an unexplained year-long break on TV screens, next season to only arrive sometime in 2020.

The British science fiction series Doctor Who from BBC Studios that jumped to Showmax will be taking a year-long break from TV screens and only return sometime in 2020 for its 13th season.

The 11th season with actress Jodie Whittaker as the new doctor and first female Time Lord, just concluded, with a bonus New Year's Day episode coming on 1 January 2019 and replacing the traditional Doctor Who Christmas day special.

The series filmed the initial few episodes of the 11th season in and around Cape Town and in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Jodie Whittaker, along with her character's three new companions played by Bradley Walsh, Mandip Gil and Tosin Cole, will all reprise their roles for the 13th season.

The BBC and the Doctor Who producers haven't as yet given any explanation for the much longer than usual break.

"We're off again! Well we never actually stopped," says Chris Chibnall, Doctor Who executive producer and head writer in a statement.

"As Jodie Whittaker's Doctor and friends have been winning the hearts of families across the nation this autumn, we've been busy with a whole new set of action packed adventures for the 13th Doctor."

"We adore making this show and have been blown away by the response from audiences, so we can't wait to bring more scares, more monsters and more Bradley Walsh, Mandip Gill and Tosin Cole."

The statement is in response to articles that started circulating that both Jodie Whittaker and Chris Chibnall are leaving Doctor Who.

Charlotte Moore, BBC director on content, says "We're delighted that the Doctor and her friends will be returning to thrill audiences in 2020. I know Chris and the whole team are already working on a whole new set of exciting adventures. In the meantime we've got a very special episode on New Year’s Day for everyone to enjoy."

TV CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK. Who caused this? DStv subscribers short-changed as Doctor Who suddenly swirls back for its 11th season - but to Showmax, not BBC First - with the never-shown 10th season suddenly becoming a phone booth burn-off.

It's not a diabolical Dalek plan; it's more an outcome of what is increasingly becoming the chaos of a nonlinear system.

Doctor Who is coming back for South African viewers after a very long absence, but coming back in the "wrong" way.

Unfortunately this "took-way-too-long" development - of which the net effect in the end is positive - is actually very bad for a particular type of South African consumer.

Distilled down the loser is ... the DStv subscriber who used to watch Doctor Who on BBC Worldwide Africa's (now BBC Studios Africa) BBC First channel on MultiChoice's satellite pay-TV service.

Let's start in the past with the background, then the present and what's happening now, before we get to what the problem is.


First the past

The joy was great when, in the mid-2000's, the BBC revived the British science fiction series, Doctor Who and MultiChoice and BBC Worldwide announced that the new series would also be shown on the BBC Entertainment channel on DStv.

That carried on until season 9 of Doctor Who in 2015 with Peter Capaldi that was shown on BBC First (DStv 119) when the BBC relaunched its channel set on DStv in South Africa.

Everything was hunky-dory, and you couldn't really justifiably criticise anything the BBC and DStv did around Doctor Who, except perhaps a few too long breaks between seasons where BBC Worldwide took just a tad too long to show the next season and South Africa was mostly a season behind.

In 2014 I got upset at the BBC's so-called "global tour" of Doctor Who when the 12th Time Lord, Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman went on a "global" tour to every continent - except for Africa.

African viewers, it seemed, were not really good enough for Doctor Who.

After the 9th season, Doctor Who on DStv's BBC First also just stopped.

Since then it's been the longest wait, of course with the expectation that Doctor Who would return, but not knowing when. I also knew also that the BBC didn't really consider the Doctor Who ratings "good enough", which is why it wasn't a priority to really buy and schedule Doctor Who's 10th season.

In July I still asked the BBC in Africa when Doctor Who would return, and was told there's nothing definite yet.


Now we get to the present

Imagine my surprise when, in late-August, BBC Studios Africa suddenly announced that it will be hosting a special Doctor Who experience at Comic Con Africa 2018, with Naspers' subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) streaming service, Showmax.

The announcement also included that Doctor Who's upcoming 11th season is going to be on Showmax with Jodie Whittaker as the "new" doctor.

(Keep in mind South Africans haven't even seen the 10th season yet on DStv, or the exit of Peter Capaldi, who, according to what we saw last, is still the doctor and will be for a whole season.)

"Whovians and new fans from across the continent can come to Johannesburg and celebrate the return of one of the BBC’s most successful franchises with an immersive TARDIS experience, ahead of the launch of the all-new series starring award-winning actress Jodie Whittaker," said BBC Studios Africa.

"The new series heralds a brand-new era for Doctor Who with a world-class team at the helm."

"Bigger and bolder than ever, Series 11 marks the arrival of the Thirteenth Doctor – a super-smart explorer of the universe, alongside a team of new friends and delightful characters," said the statement, adding that "it will be available exclusive to Showmax later this year."

At Comic Con Africa 2018 "fans of the show will be able to come together and enjoy a screening of the final episode of Series 10, where the new Doctor makes her first appearance."


Now the sad and disappointing problem

Firstly, I don't blame Showmax.

It's a new player in a new video world and all sharks have to keep swimming or die.

Showmax bought BBC Studios content and BBC Studios was willing to sell Doctor Who to Showmax - just like it sold Doctor Who to Cell C's black SVOD service which is where I watched Doctor Who last two months ago.

Furthermore Showmax, marketing-wise, wants to do an "activation" and have a type of a physical brand presence at Comic Con Africa 2018 (with BBC Studios maybe as well) - and again, nothing wrong with that.

I also don't really "blame" BBC Studios and BBC Studios Africa. I really like and respect what BBC Studios Africa keeps accomplishing in South Africa and Africa. Also, BBC Studios produces shows, has shows and wants to sell those. Companies exist to sell.

The problem is maybe that BBC Studios should have sold Doctor Who first to the BBC's channels instead of Showmax, but if the channels part of a company doesn't want it, and you can get money for it elsewhere, who isn't going to sell it to a buyer who wants it?

Here is the bad problematic part though: I have a big problem with what it means for dedicated DStv subscribers and BBC viewers who have been loyal and who have paid for over a decade to watch Doctor Who on MultiChoice's DStv and who now can't watch or follow it anymore.

After first cultivating and creating an audience - something DStv and the BBC did together, these subscribers' are having their show ripped away from them which is now continuing on another platform.

M-Net has done somewhat the same by starting certain shows on certain of the M-Net packaged channels on DStv - mostly M-Net (DStv 101) - and then after a few seasons flinging them away to other channels or higher-tiered channels where subscribers can no longer see them, don't know where to find them, or don't know that new seasons have started elsewhere.

That's not as bad though as having a long-running and existing show jump from a channel on DStv to Showmax.

While some DStv subscribers might get free access to Showmax, they still have to pay data costs to stream episodes.

Secondly, while the deal for season 11 also includes season 10 for Showmax, it's beyond ridiculous  how the 10th season of Doctor Who is being downplayed as merely a phone booth burn-off to just get through, to now get to the ooh-so-exciting season 11.

It comes across as a desperate corporate marketing attempt to make it look as if South Africa is/has always been one of the kids in class who also have the latest pair of Nike.

Meanwhile the truth is that the powers that be could be bothered less with Doctor Who, while real, ardent fans waited and waited and waited.

It took two and a half years since season 9 for South Africans to get access to season 10, and now viewers must suddenly "binge" through it in days - and not on DStv's BBC First but on Showmax - just to be cool enough for Comic Con. That ain't right, Face of Boo.

Thirdly, why is Doctor Who suddenly cool enough for Comic Con Africa (and yes, it is) when it didn't matter before?

All of the sudden fuzz - "ooh, Jodie!", "ooh, one of the BBC’s most successful franchises" - sounds fake and put-on given that South Africans and DStv subscribers heard and were basically told nothing about the show for over two years.

The fact is that Doctor Who wasn't supported in South Africa, fans were not deemed worthy enough of answers about where the show is and when it' would be coming back and it didn't matter enough to comprehensively keep them or the media up to date.

Now there's a flurry of announcements, an activation and whatnots. But why does it feel like it has such a sense of fakeness to it?


A final River Song

I love science fiction; I like Doctor Who.

There are however episodes I hugely love but I can't say that I'm in love with the series.

I have however watched all of the episodes of the 2005 series onwards  - every season - and I have rewatched a lot of episodes on in-flight entertainment systems, and DVD box sets, and will continue following, watching and tracking it.

But there are real fans of Doctor Who, people who really love the show.

There are DStv subscribers who possibly subscribed and remained subscribed to DStv in order to see the show as part of the matrix of shows making it worthwhile for that person to have DStv.

I feel bad for them, and for DStv subscribers who watched Doctor Who, and for DStv subscribers who tuned to a BBC channel because they watched it there, expect(ed) it to continue to be there, and who are experiencing a show being ripped away from them - exclusively - after they waited for it to return for almost 3 years.


So, Who caused this? Who is at fault? No-one really and everybody really. A system with too many options, players, available avenues, and verticals led to it. Welcome to the TV world as it is now, and changing even more.

Unintended effects are part of complex systems and with South Africa's TV-archology adding more and more constantly moving parts that all interact with each other, it's likely that things like this are going to happen even more and more in the future.

If you're very loyal to a particular TV show and want to see how its story continues or concludes, get ready to have to work even harder, and to pay even more for more different things, if you truly want to keep following it.

'BBC WORLDWIDE ARE C****' - Angry Doctor Who writer slams BBC Worldwide and publisher Panini in a vulgar, hidden magazine message.

An angry and upset writer for the BBC's Doctor Who Magazine, published by Panini, has worked in a hidden, vulgar message slamming Panini and BBC Worldwide.

Using the first letter of every sentence in a one-page article, the disgruntled writer spelled out the sentence "PANINI AND BBC WORLDWIDE ARE C****"

At the end of the article in the latest issue that is currently on sale and that was written by The Watcher - who is very likely no longer employed by the Doctor Who Magazine - he writes: "IN A NUTSHELL: If you look hard enough, there's always something hidden in plain sight".

Clever readers did notice and figured it out yesterday, when they checked the first letter of every sentence that appear in the entire body copy of the article.

The online version of the article has now been changed. There's been no comment so far from either Panini or BBC Worldwide.

BBC Worldwide runs and distributes channels like BBC First, BBC Brit, BBC Earth and CBeebies to pay-TV operators like MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform in South Africa and Africa.

In South Africa Doctor Who is broadcast on BBC First (DStv 119).

Jodie Whittaker will make her appearance as the Thirteenth Doctor - the first woman in the Brit sci-fi show's run in the Christmas day special entitled "Twice Upon a Time" on the BBC in the United Kingdom as the final episode of the 10th season.

It's not yet known when that episode will be broadcast on BBC First.

A starting date for the new 11th season has not yet been announced.

Brit sci-fi show Doctor Who finally goes where no man has gone before: Jodie Whittaker cast in Doctor Who title role as first woman and 13th Time Lord.

The iconic British science fiction series Doctor Who is finally going where no man has gone before, getting its first female doctor with Jodie Whittaker who has been announced as the 13th Time Lord and the first woman given the title role.

Jodie Whittaker (35) was revealed as the new Doctor Who on Sunday night in the United Kingdom and will take over the starring role in the BBC show that is seen in South Africa and Africa on BBC Worldwide's BBC First (DStv 119).

The former Broadchurch actress will take over from Peter Capaldi after three years when the doctor, traveling through time and space, regenerates into his latest form, and will make her first appearance in the 2017 Christmas special in a few months' time.

Together with Jodie Whittaker, Chris Chibnall is taking over the reigns as Doctor Who's new head writer and executive producer with David Moffatt who is leaving. Of course the Doctor's current companion is the black lesbian woman, Bill Potts (played by Pearl Mackie).

Also keep in mind that Chris Chibnall is the creator of Broadchurch, so the new season of Doctor Who will be basically a reunion for the two jumping to the new science fiction show.

"It is more than an honour to play the Doctor," Jodie Whittaker told the BBC. "It means remembering everyone I used to be, while stepping forward to embrace everything the Doctor stands for: hope. I can't wait."

"It feels completely overwhelming, as a feminist, as a woman, as an actor, as a human, as someone who wants to continually push themselves and challenge themselves, and not be boxed in by what you're told you can and can't be."

She said "this is a really exciting time and Doctor Who represents everything that's exciting about change. The fans have lived through so many changes, and this is only a new, different one, not a fearful one."

"I always knew I wanted the 13th Doctor to be a woman," says Chris Chibnall in a statement, saying that Jodie Whittaker's "audition for The Doctor simply blew us all away. Jodie is an in-demand, funny, inspiring, super-smart force of nature and will bring loads of wit, strength and warmth to the role. The Thirteenth Doctor is on her way."

Besides a female Doctor, the new Star Trek Discovery will kick off on Netflix worldwide on 24 September and revolving around the adventures of Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham, the female first officer of the starship USS Shenzhou.