Ncuti Gatwa BBC names actor as next Doctor Who star

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The 29-year-old will become the 14th Time Lord on the popular science fiction show, and the first non-white performer to play the lead role.

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Scottish actor Gatwa, who was born in Rwanda, is best known for starring in Netflix's sitcom Sex Education.

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He told BBC News: "It feels really amazing. It's a true honour. This role is an institution and it's so iconic."

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Speaking on the red carpet before Sunday's Bafta TV Awards, where he is nominated for Sex Education

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Gatwa said the role of the Doctor "means a lot to so many people, including myself"

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He added: "I feel very grateful to have had the baton handed over and I'm going to try to do my best."

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Ncuti Gatwa is a very shrewd choice for the role. He's incredibly popular with viewers in their late teens and 20s, thanks to Sex Education on Netflix.

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He has more than 2.5 million Instagram followers, and that's likely to shoot up even further after today's announcement.

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Showrunner Russell T Davies said Gatwa had impressed him in a "blazing" audition.

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In a statement, he added that the prospect of working with Davies was "a dream come true".

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