Ncuti Gatwa deserves just as much praise as Christopher Eccleston after early Doctor Who exit ...Middle East

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for the Doctor Who episode The Reality War.

Nearly 20 years have passed since the day Christopher Eccleston regenerated into David Tennant on Doctor Who and yet the memories are just as vivid as if it were yesterday – granted, I may have rewatched it a few times but stay with me.

I remember pure devastation and confusion pummelling my four-year-old brain as I didn’t understand where the saviour and protector I had grown to love over 13 episodes had disappeared to, or why he was suddenly replaced with a cheeky-grinned, floppy-haired stranger wearing his clothes.

Two decades on, I have a lot more understanding as to why an actor like Christopher Eccleston, or indeed Ncuti Gatwa would choose to leave Doctor Who –  what with the uncertainty of the Disney Plus deal and the show's future in general, not to mention a wealth of career opportunities ahead of him – but still, there was no less heartache involved as I watched him wrap up his tenure as the Fifteenth Doctor this weekend, gracefully bowing out after just two seasons on the show.

I won’t bother to pretend I’m not upset that this immensely talented actor has said goodbye to his Doctor having never faced the Daleks, Cybermen or the Master. Or the fact that two seasons of eight episodes – three of which were Doctor-lite – is just a third of what we saw of David Tennant and Matt Smith’s Doctors.

In short: he deserved more time.

But, this is not a piece for moaning or mourning, it’s a piece for celebration, because while Gatwa certainly deserved more time as the Doctor, he most definitely didn’t need it.

After two seasons the Sex Education star deserves just as much clout and respect as any other Doctor for the impact he’s had on the series, the character and the fans. For me, he goes right into the Christopher Eccleston hall of fame, his statue just one plinth over from Jo Martin and Paul McGann.

When Christopher Eccleston rebooted the show he brought the Doctor bang up to date for a 21st century audience. Balancing bright-eyed mischief, joy and immaculate comic timing with waves of grief and unbridled rage, he was the most real and, well, human, the Doctor had ever been.

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While he still remained mysterious and unpredictable – seamlessly flowing between outbursts of anger to monologues of hope in a single episode – we understood and saw him as a three (or more) dimensional character, who was more than a match for the other TV dramas of the age.

Ncuti Gatwa has done the same. In a time where mysterious, heroic characters are a somewhat oversaturated trope on TV, the actor has once again moved the Doctor to the front of the pack and modernised him – how? By being shamelessly, unapologetically himself.

From saying “babes” and “honey” to jumping with excitement in public and skipping around the TARDIS ramps in private, this Doctor is joyful and authentic to the 'nth' degree.

Even the fact that he changes his look every episode – a sticking point for some traditionalists – is part of this. Gone is the strict uniform that breeds a sense of detachment from the Time Lord and his surroundings, Gatwa’s Doctor absolutely revels in the places and cultures he travels to, and assimilates into them. He wants to see, hear and feel all of it.

Feeling is the biggest point in this. I know many jokes have been made about Gatwa's perfectly formed single tear, but there is something bigger behind it. Although the Doctor has always valued life and tried his best to save everyone he can, this is different. For Fifteen, every life is sacred and celebrated, every death is mourned, and he feels the importance of that on a much deeper level.

Because of this, every side character feels so whole and their decisions feel weighted. Take The Story and the Engine from this series. The Doctor’s friend Omo (played by Sule Rimi) betrays him by allowing him into the Barber’s trap; where this would have previously been glossed over with a wrathful look or threat, Gatwa unleashes the full force of his hurt and loss, telling Omo his safe space has been taken away.

While some might say this takes away some of the Doctor’s power, I say it gives him more. He shows his fear, sadness and trauma and yet still walks away victorious, still gives people his forgiveness. He shows every single emotion and still comes across as unstoppable.

He also shows the Doctor’s shortcomings and ego more freely. In The Robot Revolution, seeing Belinda call him out for his assumptions and for taking her blood without permission, and likewise seeing him apologise for it so quickly, was unbelievably refreshing. I love the Doctor, but I think all Martha Jones fans will agree with me when I say he doesn’t apologise or admit his mistakes nearly enough.

This approach, of making the Doctor more open, more free and more true than ever, is something that just feels right for the character in the 2020s. However the series moves forward, it seems clear that a being with two hearts should feel and show everything. In that, Gatwa has created a new legacy, and, hopefully, changed Doctor Who for good.

All this comes before we even touch on the fact that Gatwa is the first Black man to play the role. I’m not the person to give an opinion on how that has been represented, but I can say that seeing him deftly navigate the different levels of racism and prejudice throughout history has been inspiring. His speech in Lux says it all: “I have toppled worlds. Sometimes I wait for people to topple their world. Until then, I live in it and I shine.”

Shine is certainly the word for it. This Doctor has glimmered, sparkled and shone more than a supernova. Across 18 episodes that have all varied in tone, type and quality, for me he has been the constant bright spot. His brightness and energy has been infectious, drawing the eye and leaving you unable to look away.

I am unbelievably sad to see him go so soon, but I wholeheartedly believe that the light and legacy he leaves will shine down on Doctor Who for years to come.

Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer in the UK and on Disney+ outside of the UK.

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