Ncuti Gatwa was the perfect ambassador for Doctor Who – his early exit changes nothing

Disney's deal with Doctor Who is officially over and everyone is trying to answer one question: why?

No one, other than the higher-ups at Disney, really know the answer to this. Of course, there have been theories, that Deadline has attributed to sources at the House of Mouse, ranging from the show's apparent 'wokeness' to the series being too quintessentially British to translate to audiences across the pond.

I've got my doubts about each of those theories. I'd be disgusted if Disney's departure ultimately boiled down to [checks notes] one gay kiss and the casting of trans actress Yasmin Finney and drag artist Jinkx Monsoon. Also, Doctor Who has broken America before – and already has a decent amount of fans across the globe.

But one point has left me flabbergasted. One of Deadline's sources is quoted as suggesting Ncuti Gatwa hasn't been a good ambassador for Doctor Who, saying: “There is more to that role than performing. You have got to be an ambassador for the brand and embrace being that generation’s Doctor. Matt Smith and David Tennant fully understood the responsibility it carried.”

I have to ask – at what point has Ncuti Gatwa not understood the responsibility of being an ambassador for Doctor Who?

After being announced as the Fifteenth Doctor, Gatwa has dedicated a solid three years of his life to the role. While facing down a slew of racism and homophobia, that no one should ever endure after announcing a new chapter in their career, Gatwa quickly and convincingly offered up a genuinely new and fresh incarnation of the Time Lord – something that is no mean feat 15 actors in.

His range as a performer has been beautiful to watch, as he brought us everything from unfiltered joy to unadulterated rage and everything in between. He seamlessly slipped into the role, following on from none other than fan favourite Tennant, and absolutely running with it.

He had countless impressive moments over the course of his run, but perhaps no more so than the final scenes of Dot and Bubble, which saw Gatwa showing the Doctor's full emotional spectrum, from desperation, to incredulity, to hopelessness, to frustration, to utterly sad resignation. It was a moment that showed his utter skill as a performer and his complete dedication to the role.

But, of course, the role of a Doctor goes beyond what you see on screen. It's in their interactions with the fans, how they embody the Time Lord's values in their life while they're playing the role – which Gatwa, again, did beautifully.

Considering the amount of abuse he received during his run as the Doctor, Gatwa would be forgiven for not wanting to interact with the Doctor Who fandom at all.

Instead, he focused on the positivity in the fandom, taking time out of his day to meet fans while he filmed on location and interacting with them on social media. He shared mountains of fan art on Instagram, sharing his love for the talented artists, and often shared his absolute adoration for any Who-related gifts he was given.

But most of all, Gatwa embodies every value that fans have come to expect from the Doctor. He fights for what he believes in – he has been a fierce advocate for causes including LGBTQ+ rights, and has spoken out about Palestine. After experiencing homelessness, he became an ambassador for homelessness charity Centrepoint, and he's opened up about his ambitions to build a school in Rwanda.

He's also got an unwavering dedication to inclusivity, and is clearly aware that his incarnation of the Doctor will have meant a lot to anyone who hasn't traditionally seen themselves represented on screen.

"The character is a shape-shifting alien. It can be anyone," he previously said of the Doctor. "So for there to only have been one representation of the character, I think is just quite limiting... Who wouldn't want to see themselves in the shoes of the Doctor?"

I don't know why it's been said that Gatwa wasn't a good ambassador for Doctor Who. Could it have been because he did the occasional sexy photoshoot for magazine covers? In response to that, I can only feel sorry for those who think the Doctor can't be sexy. What a sad little life, Jane.

Perhaps it's because it's believed that Gatwa may have left Doctor Who a little earlier than originally planned. But, if that's true, it doesn't negate any of the brilliant work he's done as an ambassador for Doctor Who. In fact, it would have been nonsensical for him to hang around while the show was in limbo while he was, understandably, very in demand for other roles.

Whatever you thought about the past two seasons, and about Disney's departure, Gatwa cannot be blamed. We were lucky to have experienced his Fifteenth Doctor, and Doctor Who would be in a much worse place without him.

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