If he ended up in his underwear, it’s David Tennant’s fault: Why does Nkuti Gatwa appear pantless in a special episode of Doctor Who?

There is no doubt that Nkuti Gatwa’s debut in the series will be remembered for a lifetime and so will Doctor Who fans. In the third special episode of the show’s sixty years, the 31-year-old actress appeared for the first time in… underwear.

A reminder of the context is necessary, but it’s better to watch the episode so as not to risk spoilage. During this episode, the Doctor (again played by David Tennant) confronts one of his oldest enemies: a toymaker played by Neil Patrick Harris.

During this episode, the Doctor “grows up” for the first time. Before he was threatened with death, this extraterrestrial traveler through time and space had the ability to regenerate, a process that allows him to change his appearance (and therefore his interpreter).

Bi-regeneration marks a new milestone in the mythology of the series, as the Doctor this time replicated himself as two different beings.

Two doctors for the price of one

The Fourteenth Doctor (David Tennant) and the Fifteenth Doctor (Nkuti Gatwa) now live together in the same universe. And this unique process explains why the young actress ended up in underwear for her big debut in the series.

“The Doctor splits in two, and we split the suit that David was wearing in two.” Nkuti Gatwa explained with great humor to our British colleagues BBC Radio 2added:

Because David filmed his scenes first, he was able to choose which parts of the costume he wanted to keep. And when it was my turn to choose, I only had one pair of underwear and socks. So a big thank you to David Tennant! (laughs)

The Fifteenth Doctor wears a brand new costume for his official debut as the main character of the series during the traditional Christmas episode. The first glimpse of her appearance has already been revealed and confirmed by a large number of fans of the program.

Remember that the Doctor Who series is now exclusively on Disney+, starting with three special seventies episodes that are already available on the streaming service.

Discover the list of series currently available on the platform!