Ncuti Gatwa is now joking about how few people watched his run on Disney’s Doctor Who.
The former Fifteenth Doctor hosted Saturday Night Live UK and used his monologue to take a shot at his time in the TARDIS, saying millions watched him on Sex Education, but “about 12” watched him on Doctor Who.
Ncuti Gatwa jokes about Doctor Who ratings
Gatwa brought up his career during the monologue and compared the response to Sex Education with his Doctor Who run.
“I’ve had so many fantastic roles in my career. Millions of you watched me as Eric in Sex Education, and then about 12 of you watched me in Doctor Who,” Gatwa joked. “Maybe that’s why I kept crying.”
He then tried to soften the punchline.
“Joking aside, it was genuinely a magical role,” Gatwa said. “In fact, it was the first time my parents were truly proud of my career.”
Gatwa continued with another joke about his casting.
“When I told them I got the part, they said, ‘Finally, a doctor in the family.’ Even though I have since regenerated into Billie Piper,” he said. “I don’t understand it either… I still love Doctor Who, and I got to meet so many crazy characters, sort of a bit like this place.”
Gatwa’s joke comes after Doctor Who ratings collapse
The joke is getting attention because Gatwa’s Doctor Who era really was a ratings disaster.
Gatwa played the Doctor for two seasons as part of the BBC’s Disney+ deal. After that run, Disney+ exited the partnership, with reports confirming the streamer would no longer co-produce the main series after two seasons.
The BBC has said Doctor Who will continue, with Russell T Davies writing a 2026 Christmas special.
The ratings problem followed Gatwa throughout the run. His Doctor Who failed to break through in the U.S. on Disney+ and did not make Nielsen’s streaming charts. In the UK, the show also suffered historically low viewership compared to past eras.
Fans were told not to watch
Gatwa’s joke also lands differently because of comments he made during the show’s run.
While promoting Doctor Who in 2024, Gatwa addressed backlash to the show’s direction and his casting by telling detractors not to watch.
“Don’t watch. Turn off the TV. Go and touch grass, please, for God’s sake,” Gatwa said at the time.
Well, many fans apparently took the advice.
Doctor Who went from a major British sci-fi institution to a show stuck in limbo after Disney+ walked away from the main series deal.
Gatwa is now joking about “about 12” people watching, but the audience decline was one of the biggest stories of his time as the Doctor.
