Ncuti Gatwa took a playful dig at Doctor Who's dwindling ratings during his Saturday Night Live UK Season 1 finale monologue on May 16. The actor, best known for S** Education and Doctor Who, did not hold back when reflecting on his television journey. Gatwa roasted his own sci-fi tenure with the kind of self-awareness that only someone truly unbothered could pull off.

Ncuti Gatwa opened his monologue by drawing a stark contrast between his two biggest roles. Millions tuned in weekly for S** Education, where he played the beloved Eric, while Doctor Who told a very different story in the ratings department. The TARDIS, it seemed, was not quite the crowd-puller that Moordale Secondary School turned out to be.

"Millions of you watched me as Eric in S** Education, and then about 12 of you watched me in Doctor Who. Maybe that's why I kept crying," he quipped at the Saturday Night Live UK Season 1 finale monologue on May 16.

He then added, "Joking aside, it was genuinely a magical role. In fact, it was the first time my parents were truly proud of my career. When I told them I got the part, they said, 'Finally, a doctor in the family.'" Even a low-rated TARDIS, it turns out, comes with full parental bragging rights.

Gatwa played the Fifteenth Doctor across Series 14 and 15, debuting in the 2023 anniversary specials alongside David Tennant. He brought bold fashion, emotional depth, and undeniable charisma to the role, becoming the first Black actor to lead the show. Series 14 averaged around 3.9 million UK viewers, dipping further to 3.1 million in Series 15, which made his "12 viewers" joke land with a particularly sharp edge.

As Gatwa owned the Saturday Night Live UK stage with effortless charm, the TARDIS he vacated was parked with no confirmed destination.

Why the Doctor Who Series 15 finale felt like a full stop

The Doctor Who Series 15 finale aired on May 31, 2025, and delivered something that no one saw coming. Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor regenerated into Billie Piper, who originally played companion Rose Tyler back in the Russell T Davies era with Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant.

This made Piper the first former companion to ever take on the role of the Doctor, a twist so unexpected that even the production did not originally plan it this way.

The regeneration scene was reportedly reshot in early 2025 after Gatwa decided to leave, meaning the ending fans watched was a sudden rewrite, not the original plan. No Series 16 has been greenlit, Disney's renewal remains unconfirmed, and the fanbase remains divided over the Piper twist. A hasty reshoot, murky streaming deals, and zero renewal news made the finale feel less like a dramatic handover and more like a show quietly hitting a wall. His Saturday Night Live UK send-off, however, proved he exited with humor, grace, and no regrets.

What are your thoughts on Gatwa's Saturday Night Live UK monologue and his Doctor Who farewell? Let us know in the comments.

Written by

Shraddha Priyadarshi

Edited by

Aliza Siddiqui