Ncuti Gatwa returns for Doctor Who season 15 on Disney+ soon, and it's a lot earlier than I expected

Ncuti Gatwa, wearing a brown leather retro jacket, poses as Doctor Who
(Image credit: BBC / Disney)

  • Doctor Who season 15 will arrive on April 12
  • Available on BBC iPlayer in the UK and Disney+ in the US
  • It's a shorter wait than we expected for this often slow-to-happen show

Sci-fi lovers rejoice: Doctor Who returns to Disney+ on April 12 for more adventures. The new era of the hit BBC series was hugely anticipated, as it saw the return of beloved showrunner Russell T. Davies. The show also introduced the newest doctor, Nctui Gatwa, known for his much-loved role as Eric in Netflix's Sex Education.

Currently, all we have is this social media teaser which reads: "The stars align on 12th April. Watch #DoctorWho on @BBCiPlayer in the UK and @DisneyPlus where available." Alongside a promotional shot of Gatwa, there's also one for Varada Sethu, who will join the series as new companion Belinda Chandra, and we'll learn much more about her character over the coming episodes when one of the best Disney+ shows returns to our screens.

What should we expect from Doctor Who season 15?

Ruby Sunday and the Doctor look at each other on a Goblin ship.

(Image credit: Lara Cornell/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

Plot details are under wraps but we'll likely pick up somewhere after the 2024 Christmas special Joy to the World, though due to the nature of the time-traveling series, that could take us just about anywhere. There are no limits when it comes to Doctor Who, and that's a huge part of its appeal.

There's also been the huge question of whether Millie Gibson will return to reprise her role as Ruby Sunday from Doctor Who season 14, as her story seemed to come to a conclusion last time we saw her.

While Ruby's character isn't back in a full-time capacity, Russell T Davies told ScreenRant: "This is a pause, I genuinely thought Ruby’s story paused there. She couldn’t get all that information about her family, and all that emotional overload, and run off in the TARDIS. It pauses there; she’s coming back. A new companion is coming in, but you’ll see the three of them together. Three people in this TARDIS fighting evil."

Outside of the companions, Alan Cumming joins the cast in the second episode, where he plays Mr Ring-a-Ding, a cartoon character who is forced to see the outside world for the first time, and that already sounds horrifying.

This season's guest stars include Rose Ayling-Ellis, Anita Dobson, Christopher Chung, Michelle Greenidge, Jonah Hauer-King, Ruth Madeley, Jemma Redgrave, and Susan Twist.

You might also like:

Lucy Buglass
Senior Entertainment Writer

Lucy is a long-time movie and television lover who is an approved critic on Rotten Tomatoes. She has written several reviews in her time, starting with a small self-ran blog called Lucy Goes to Hollywood before moving onto bigger websites such as What's on TV and What to Watch, with TechRadar being her most recent venture. Her interests primarily lie within horror and thriller, loving nothing more than a chilling story that keeps her thinking moments after the credits have rolled. Many of these creepy tales can be found on the streaming services she covers regularly.

When she’s not scaring herself half to death with the various shows and movies she watches, she likes to unwind by playing video games on Easy Mode and has no shame in admitting she’s terrible at them. She also quotes The Simpsons religiously and has a Blinky the Fish tattoo, solidifying her position as a complete nerd. 

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
Ncuti Gatwa as The Fifteenth Doctor in Doctor Who
The trailer for Doctor Who's new season promises new mysteries, creepy cartoons and musical madness
Ncuti Gatwa as The Fifteenth Doctor in Doctor Who
Disney+ drops new trailer for Doctor Who season 2 that promises an epic adventure across time and space
Cassian looking at someone off-camera from a TIE fighter cockpit in Andor season 2
3 new Disney+ TV shows I can't wait to stream in April with over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes
A collage image showing Sadie Sink's O'Dessa, Daredevil in Daredevil: Born Again, and Moana in Moana 2
Everything new on Disney+ in March 2025: Marvel's Daredevil: Born Again, Moana 2, Sadie Sink's O'Dessa movie, and more
Matt Murdock addressing a jury in Daredevil: Born Again episode 3
What time is Daredevil: Born Again episode 4 going to be released on Disney+?
Daredevil standing in a dimly-lit room in Daredevil: Born Again
Daredevil: Born Again season 1: release date, trailer, confirmed cast, plot synopsis, and more news on the Marvel TV show
Latest in Disney Plus
Promotional image for Malcolm in the Middle featuring the original cast playing golf
Malcolm in the Middle's Disney+ revival gets underway as the series finds its cast – here's which characters are returning
Matt Murdock smiling in Daredevil: Born Again episode 5 and Kamala Khan looking stunned in The Marvels
Daredevil: Born Again episode 5 reveals what Kamala Khan has been up to since The Marvels, and now I'm more excited for the next superhero team to appear in the MCU
Disney Plus logo with popcorn
You can finally tell Disney+ to stop bugging you about that terrible Marvel show you regret starting
Cassian Andor looking nervously over his shoulder in Andor season 2
New Andor season 2 trailer has got Star Wars fans asking the same question – and it includes an ominous call back to Rogue One's official teaser
Ncuti Gatwa as The Fifteenth Doctor in Doctor Who
Disney+ drops new trailer for Doctor Who season 2 that promises an epic adventure across time and space
A close up of a xenomorph with Earth reflected on its head in the Alien: Earth TV show teaser
Disney+ celebrates 5 years of streaming with 2025 lookahead – here are 3 movies and shows I can't wait to watch
Latest in News
Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con up-close from app store
Nintendo's new app gave us another look at the Switch 2, and there's something different with the Joy-Con
cheap Nintendo Switch game deals sales
Nintendo didn't anticipate that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was 'going to be the juggernaut' for the Nintendo Switch when it was ported to the console, according to former employees
Three angles of the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch M4 laptop above a desk
Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) review roundup – should you buy Apple's new lightweight laptop?
Witchbrook
Witchbrook, the life-sim I've been waiting years for, finally has a release window and it's sooner than you think
Amazon Echo Smart Speaker
Amazon is experimenting with renaming Echo speakers to Alexa speakers, and it's about time
Shigeru Miyamoto presents Nintendo Today app
Nintendo Today smartphone app is out now on iOS and Android devices – and here's what it does