Doctor Who Watch Ncuti Gatwa recap 60 years of
Published on January 15, 2026 EDT The Fifteenth Doctor looks back at his Time Lord predecessors, from William Hartnell to Jodie Whittaker.

Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa is ready to take you back in time — no TARDIS required.

The Sex Education alum joins the long-running sci-fi franchise as the Fifteenth Doctor, becoming the latest in a long line of actors to play the iconic role. As part of Entertainment Weekly’s recent cover story on Who, we sat down with Gatwa to ask him to recap the show’s 60-year legacy. In less than 10 minutes, Gatwa runs through everything you need to know about Who’s history — from William Hartnell’s debut as the First Doctor in 1963 to David Tennant’s “bigeneration” in the recent 60th anniversary special. (He also shares his love for some of the show’s biggest moments — and explains his particular fondness for Jon Pertwee’s Third Doctor.)

When the eight-episode new season of Doctor Who premieres May 10, it’ll be the first full season produced under the BBC’s joint agreement with Disney+, with episodes debuting simultaneously around the globe. The new season is technically the 14th season since Doctor Who’s 2005 relaunch, or the 40th overall, but the BBC and Disney+ are rebranding it as “season 1” — making it the perfect jumping-on point.

Watch the video above, and read EW’s full Doctor Who cover story here.

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