2 weeks ago
Ncuti Gatwa took a cheeky swipe astatine Doctor Who while connected SNL UK hosting duties.
The erstwhile Time Lord joked astir nan BBC sci-fi show’s ratings and plotlines during his Saturday Night Live UK opening monologue.
Speaking from nan SNL shape successful London, Gatwa said: “I’ve had truthful galore awesome roles successful my career. Millions of you watched maine arsenic Eric successful Sex Education, and past astir 12 of you watched maine successful Doctor Who. Maybe that’s why I kept crying.”
He continued: “Joking aside, it was genuinely a magical role. In fact, it was nan first clip my parents were genuinely proud of my career. When I told them I sewage nan part, they said, ‘Finally, a expert successful nan family.’ Even though I person since regenerated into Billie Piper … I don’t understand it either … I still emotion Doctor Who, and I sewage to meet truthful galore crazy characters, benignant of a spot for illustration this place.”
Gatwa exited Doctor Who last twelvemonth amid mixed reviews astir his tenure successful nan beloved series. Disney besides ended its co-production woody pinch nan BBC for nan show.
As Gatwa hinted, Doctor Who saw an alarming drop-off successful viewing figures connected nan BBC. Season 15 averaged 3.8M viewers, according to gold-standard 28-day viewing figures from Barb, nan UK’s charismatic ratings agency.
This represented a diminution of 1M connected nan anterior season, nan first starring Gatwa and produced by Bad Wolf. Both Gatwa seasons were down connected Jodie Whittaker’s concluding play successful 2021 (watched by 5.2M people), a play that was not considered to beryllium vintage Doctor Who.
As Saturday Night Live UK‘s first play comes to an end, Sky will beryllium capable to bespeak connected a show that has confounded expectations, produced viral moments, and provided immoderate of nan Comcast-owned network’s highest ratings of nan year. The series was renewed for a 2nd season, which will premiere successful September.
SNL UK is produced by UTAS UK and Broadway Video for Sky and Now. James Longman is nan lead producer. Lorne Michaels is executive producing; for Broadway Video, Erin David serves arsenic producer; for UTAS UK, Helen Kruger Bratt oversees production.
