Ncuti Gatwa regenerates – again – in Doctor Who parody ahead of SNL UK hosting gig
But for copyright reasons, it's "very, slightly different"...
Ncuti Gatwa already provided us with one surprise regeneration in Doctor Who, and now he's brought us another, as part of a teaser sketch ahead of his hosting job on this week's final episode of Saturday Night Live UK season 1.
The teaser clip sees Hannah Waddingham, last week's host, regenerating into Gatwa, before meeting SNL UK cast members Emma Sidi and Larry Dean who explain the situation to him.
They say they regenerate the hosts every week, prompting Gatwa to ask: "Like Doctor Who?" – which they are adamant it isn't. As Sidi says: "For copyright reasons, it's very, slightly different."
Sidi then explains that there are actually only two cast members on SNL UK, who both regenerate as well, as she transforms into Al Nash.
Dean proposes showing that he can do it too, at which point he regenerates into something very different...
You can watch the full promo here.
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It's not the first time SNL UK has entered the world of Doctor Who, with a previous sketch featuring Aimee Lou Wood as the Time Lord's companion delighting fans.
Gatwa follows SNL UK 's previous hosts Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan, Riz Ahmed, Jack Whitehall, Nicola Coughlan, Aimee Lou Wood and Waddingham.
The series was recently renewed for a second season of 12 episodes, which will start airing in Sky One from September 2026.
Speaking about the renewal news, SNL creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels said: "I'm incredibly proud of our team and the show. It keeps getting better every week. I'm grateful to Dana Strong and Sky for believing in and supporting SNL UK. I'm excited for the season ahead."
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Gatwa left Doctor Who last year, with his version of the Doctor regenerating into Billie Piper in a surprise scene. There have since been no new episodes of the long-running sci-fi series, although spin-off show The War Between the Land and the Sea aired at the end of 2025.
The next episode of the mainline show is set to air this Christmas, although no details of who will star in it or what the plot will entail have yet been revealed.
Saturday Night Live UK continues on Saturday 16 May at 10pm on Sky One and NOW – sign up to Sky TV to watch.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
