The new season of Doctor Who is already starting to reap the benefits of an increased budget thanks to the BBC show’s new partnership with Disney+, and the latest piece of fascinating casting news for the series is certain to turn a few heads with the announcement that star of stage and screen Jonathan Groff would be joining the series in a mystery, but key, role. The star of Glee, Frozen and Hamilton is set to board the T.A.R.D.I.S. as a potential ally to the title character in the long-running sci-fi series, which is now entering its 60th year since debuting on the BBC in the 1960s.

While David Tennant has returned to the role of the Doctor for the upcoming 60th Anniversary, the wording suggests that Groff is joining the debut series for Ncuti Gatwa, the Scottish star of Sex Education on Netflix, who will take over the role at the conclusion of Tennant‘s limited run. Gatwa will officially be replacing Jodie Whittaker as the 15th Doctor of the series, which was revived in 2005.

Showrunner Russell T Davies said: “This is an incredible coup, and a great honour, to get such a huge star striding on to our set. So strap on your space boots, this is going to be a blast!” Groff also added, in his own statement: “I am so thrilled to jump into the extraordinary mind of Russell T Davies and watch the incredible Ncuti Gatwa soar in this iconic role!”

A Year of Celebration for the Doctor

Before Doctor Who can return for a full season where Gatwa‘s Doctor – joined by Groff, it would appear – will face new antagonists like that played by Jinkx Monsoon, fans will get to witness the 60th Anniversary special of the series. The series, which will be divided into three feature-length episodes beginning in November 2023, following Tennant‘s Doctor, will also debut on Disney+, where a higher budget will be given to the sci-fi epic that already carried a hefty production budget. Besides Tennant returning to the role for a limited, but very exciting, spell, audiences can expect plenty of surprises from the new episodes, given how there’s not an idea too spectacular for an event of this size.

Gatwa’s first episode as the 15th Doctor will air over the Christmas season later this year.

via Collider