Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa surprised to learn he was getting more costumes
"It would be really interesting to travel through all the subcultures of Britain that it's had in the past up to now through his clothes."
Long-running sci-fi Doctor Who is getting one hell of a fashion makeover with the dawn of the new season and Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor.
While previous Doctors have come to be known for their signature outfits, like David Tennant's trench coat or Tom Baker's striped scarf, Gatwa's Doctor is getting various costumes throughout the series to reflect different time periods and planets his Doctor will travel to.
The news came as an exciting surprise to Gatwa, who revealed the costume process in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, where he spoke about bookmarking photos from Ralph Lauren’s collaboration with Morehouse and Spelman Colleges.
The collection in question celebrated historically Black colleges and universities in the US, and speaking about it, Gatwa said: "That was the one costume idea I had, because I had in my mind that I was only going to have one costume.
"I went in and showed the producers, and they were like, 'This is lovely. What else have you got?' And I was like, 'Oh.'"
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Gatwa reveals that he then worked with costume designer Pam Downe to think of a complete wardrobe for his Doctor, explaining: "She laid out her sketches on the table, and I saw kilts and skirts and all kinds of gender-pushing, societal-pushing outfits.
"And I was like, 'Yes, let’s do all of them.'"
Gatwa continued: "The show is so quintessentially British, and it’s a show that has accumulated the power to reflect where Britain is societally.
"I was like, 'It would be really interesting to travel through all the subcultures of Britain that it’s had in the past up to now through his clothes.'
"This character represents the UK in a weird way, almost like Captain Britain. So, how do we tell that story through fashion?"
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So, we very well could be looking at the prospect of the Fifteenth Doctor having more costume changes than all of the previous Doctors combined - and quite frankly, we cannot wait.
Sure, fashion isn't a major part of the Doctor's storyline, but what better way to encompass the time period or new planet the Doctor visits than by the clothes he's wearing?
Read more:
- Doctor Who's Ncuti Gatwa: 'I'd be so angry if I never get to face a Dalek'
- Lesley Sharp praises David Tennant's 'dexterity, speed and skill' on Doctor Who
We already got a glimpse of some of the style to come in the 2023 Christmas special, The Church on Ruby Road.
Gatwa's Doctor treated us to a brown chequered suit and cowboy hat, as well as an iconic kilt and vest combo that he was seen rocking in the nightclub scene. Count us excited.
As for now, fans will just have to wait patiently for the new season to land next month, while Gatwa is busy filming the second season of the show with companion Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday.
It was also recently announced that a second companion has entered the scene, with Varada Sethu also joining the cast, but her character name is currently being kept under wraps.
Doctor Who will return on Saturday 11th May on BBC iPlayer and BBC One. Previous seasons are available to stream on BBC iPlayer with episodes of the classic series also available on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial here.
Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
