Doctor Who is set to return to our screens this weekend with a new series launching on BBC and Disney+.

Ncuti Gatwa will star as the fifteenth Doctor after he joined the Whoniverse during the 60th Anniversary special - The Giggle - last year. 

He took over from David Tennant who reprised his role as the time lord from Gallifrey during three anniversary specials in 2023.

Salisbury Journal: David Tennant returned as the fourteenth Doctor during the 60th anniversary specials of Doctor Who in 2023. David Tennant returned as the fourteenth Doctor during the 60th anniversary specials of Doctor Who in 2023. (Image: BBC)

Fans saw Gatwa in his first solo adventure in the Christmas Day special - The Church on Ruby Road.

It was during that episode we also met Ruby Sunday, played by former Coronation Street star Millie Gibson.

Fans of the show have been made to wait nearly five months for the new series.

When does the new Doctor Who start and where to watch?

But the wait is finally over with the new series to launch on BBC iPlayer and Disney+ at 12am on Saturday (May 11) in the UK.

It will also launch on Disney+ outside the UK at the same time - which will be at 7pm on May 10 (ET).

The first two episodes of the new series will drop on BBC iPlayer and Disney+ at 12am on Saturday before airing on BBC One from 6.30pm on the same day.

Following the launch this weekend, an episode will continue to drop on BBC iPlayer at the same time each week, followed by a primetime slot on BBC One.

Doctor Who episode titles

There will be eight episodes in the new series of Doctor Who set to begin on Saturday.

The new episodes (in order of appearance) are called:

  • Space Babies
  • The Devil's Chord
  • Boom
  • 73 Yards
  • Dot and Bubble
  • Rogue
  • The Legend of Ruby Sunday
  • Empire of Death

Who is the new Doctor?

Ncuti Gatwa will star as the fifteenth Doctor in the new series of Doctor Who.

Gatwa rose to fame as Eric Effiong in the Netflix series Sex Education appearing alongside the likes of Asa Butterfield (Otis Milburn), Gillian Anderson (Jean Milburn) and Emma Mackey (Maeve Wiley).

He also appeared in Barbie last year which was one of the biggest films of 2023.

Cast for new Doctor Who series

Gatwa will star in the new series of Doctor Who alongside Millie Gibson (Coronation Street) who will play the Doctor's companion Ruby Sunday.

The pair will be joined by Varada Sethu - from Star Wars spin-off Andor - who will play another of the Doctor's companions in Gatwa's second season as Time Lord, which will debut in 2025.

This season will also see the return of Michelle Greenidge as Carla Sunday, Angela Wynter as Cherry Sunday and Anita Dobson as Mrs Flood, according to the BBC. 

The new series of Doctor Who will also feature: 

  • Jinkx Monsoon
  • Aneurin Barnard
  • Yasmin Finney
  • Jonathan Groff
  • Bonnie Langford
  • Jemma Redgrave
  • Lenny Rush
  • Indira Varma

More special guests on the show are set to be revealed soon.

Salisbury Journal: Varada Sethu (left) will join Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson in the next season of Doctor Who which will debut in 2025.Varada Sethu (left) will join Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson in the next season of Doctor Who which will debut in 2025. (Image: James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios/PA)

There may also be a few other familiar faces returning in the new series. 

The BBC said: "Donna's daughter, Rose, who we met in the 60th anniversary special, looks like they could be making a return as we see a glimpse of them in the trailer.

"There's speculation as to whether we'll see any of the classic Dr Who villains like the Daleks or Cybermen though."

Doctor Who trailer - sneak peek at new 2024 series

The BBC gave viewers a glimpse of what to expect in the new Doctor Who series at the end of the Christmas Day special.

The BBC then released a new trailer at the end of March giving fans a sneak peek at what to expect from the new series.

The broadcaster has even begun dropping teaser clips on social media in the weeks leading up to the launch.

What to expect from the new Doctor Who series

The Doctor (Gatwa) and Ruby (Gibson) are set for some "mammoth adventures" in the new series, the BBC said.

RECOMMENDED READING:

The broadcaster added: "The duo will travel through time and space to unknown lands and meet new characters and monsters along the way."

The pair are set to travel to a number of different time periods including the Regency era of the early 19th century in England as well as the 1960s. 

They will also journey back millions of years to see the dinosaurs roaming the earth.