Ncuti Gatwa will be a ‘cool, sexier’ Doctor Who, says 60th anniversary star Neil Patrick Harris

‘How I Met Your Mother’ star will appear in 60th anniversary special

Neil Patrick Harris has said that Ncuti Gatwa will play a ‘cool, sexier Doctor’ when he joins Doctor Who.

The How I Met Your Mother actor will join the franchise as part of the show’s 60th anniversary celebrations in 2023, playing “the greatest enemy the Doctor has ever faced”.

Speaking to Variety, Harris said that he had had the chance to meet the Sex Education star during filming.

“I got to meet and interact with him a bit and he’s glorious,” Harris said.

“He’ll be the first gay Doctor, which is going to be super cool, a sexier Doctor.”

While the Doctor’s sexuality has never been explicitly labelled on the show, Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor has been involved in a will-they-won’t-they romantic plot with her companion Yaz (Mandip Gill).

Whittaker’s final episode as the 13th Doctor will air later this year, when it is expected that their "developing" relationship will be confirmed.

Gatwa will take over the role from Whittaker for the 60th anniversary and new series.

Mandip Gill and Jodie WHittaker in ‘Doctor Who' (BBC Studios/James Pardon)

While the actor initially gained recoginition for playing queer character Eric in Sex Education, he has not publically discussed his sexuality.

Speaking about his casting when it was revealed in May, Gatwa said he was “deeply honoured, beyond excited and of course a little bit scared”.

He continued: “This role and show means so much to so many around the world, including myself, and each one of my incredibly talented predecessors has handled that unique responsibility and privilege with the utmost care. I will endeavour my utmost to do the same.”

Gatwa’s series will also mark the return of former showrunner Russell T Davies as head writer on Doctor Who.

Davies, who was responsible for reviving the sci-fi series in 2005, started auditions for Whittaker’s replacement last December and said that Gatwa had “dazzled” him.

Doctor Who will return later this year.