Tamal Kundu
‘Doctor Who’ season 15 has reportedly been confirmed, and the filming is set to start in December 2023 in Cardiff, Wales. The BBC One science fiction adventure drama series revolves around the eponymous character, an extra-terrestrial being that has the appearance of a human and travels through space and time in a ship called TARDIS. Even though TARDIS looks like a common blue British police box from the outside, it is a lot more spacious inside. The Doctor often travels with one or more companions, helping people and protecting the universe. The series premiered in 1963 and aired for 26 seasons before ending in 1989. The revival series premiered in 2005, and 13 seasons (39 in total) of it have aired to date. Since its premiere, 13 actors have portrayed different versions of the titular character, with Scottish actor David Tennant playing both the Tenth and Fourteenth Doctors. Rwandan-Scottish actor Ncuti Gatwa (‘Sex Education’) is set to portray the Fifteenth Doctor in seasons 14 and 15 of the revival.
Showrunner Russell T Davies, who returned to ‘Doctor Who’ for season 14 after helming the show from 2005 to 2010, reportedly told the media that season 15 was already in the works. Speaking to Doctor Who Magazine, he apparently indicated that the following three words would be important in the new scripts: “garden,” “diploma,” and firmament.” In an interview with Rolling Stone, Gatwa mentioned a second season with him as the Doctor while discussing his desire to go back to the theater. “It kept me warm and it held me all night, even if I was broke. But I’m planning on getting back to it next year, after I finish season two of ‘Doctor Who,’” the actor said.
Gatwa is the first non-white actor to portray Doctor Who. After he was announced as the successor of Jodie Whittaker, the Thirteenth Doctor, it was presumed that he would be the Fourteenth after the regeneration. However, during Whittaker’s final appearance as the Doctor, the character regenerated into a version that looked like the Tenth Doctor, and they were later confirmed as the Fourteenth Doctor. Gatwa is set to make his first appearance in the show after the 60th-anniversary specials in the “festive period” (Christmas Special) toward the end of 2023. Season 14 will air in 2024.
The in-house filming for season 14 took place in Cardiff at Wolf Studios, which replaced Roath Lock Studios, a company that had been attached to the production of ‘Doctor Who’ since 2012. The Season 14 cast includes Millie Gibson (‘Coronation Street’) as the Doctor’s new companion Ruby Sunday, Aneurin Barnard (‘The Catch’) as Roger ap Gwilliam, Jemma Redgrave (‘Fish’) as Kate Stewart, Indira Varma (‘Game of Thrones’) as The Duchess, Bonnie Langford (‘EastEnders’) as Mel Bush, and Lenny Rush (‘Am I Being Unreasonable?’) as Morris. Anita Dobson (‘The Rebel’), Michelle Greenidge (‘Code 404’), Jinkx Monsoon (‘Drag Me to Dinner’), and Jonathan Groff (‘Lost Ollie’) have also been cast in various undisclosed roles. It is safe to assume that at least some of them will reprise their roles in season 15 alongside Gatwa.
It is unclear whether the writers’ and actors’ strikes in America will impact the production of this British series. In the coming months, we can expect more updates on the casting, production, and plot of ‘Doctor Who’ season 15.
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