Ncuti Gatwa addresses Doctor Who exit during SNL UK finale monologue

Actor Ncuti Gatwa addressed his brief tenure as the Doctor during his opening monologue as host of the Saturday Night Live UK season finale. Gatwa, who played the Fifteenth Doctor in the long-running sci-fi series, made light of the show's recent viewership and its controversial final episode.

"I've had so many fantastic roles in my career," Gatwa said during the May 16 broadcast. "Millions of you watched me as Eric in Sex Education, and then about 12 of you watched me in Doctor Who. Maybe that's why I kept crying." He then struck a more sincere note, calling the role "genuinely magical" and recounting his parents' pride. "When I told them I got the part, they said, 'Finally, a doctor in the family,'" he shared.

The monologue also referenced the unexpected conclusion to his final season, where his character regenerated into actress Billie Piper. "Even though I have since regenerated into Billie Piper—I don't understand it either—I still love Doctor Who," Gatwa remarked. Piper originally played the companion Rose Tyler in the mid-2000s era of the show. Her recent return in the finale, which was reportedly reshot, did not include the customary "as the Doctor" on-screen credit,...