Billie Piper has replaced Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor in Doctor Who, with the character regenerating during Saturday's season finale, the BBC has revealed.
Piper, 42, becomes the second woman to portray the Time Lord after Jodie Whittaker's tenure as the 13th Doctor.
The actress first starred as companion Rose Tyler alongside Christopher Eccleston's ninth Doctor when the series was revived in 2005.
Gatwa's departure comes after two seasons in the role, with his final episode "The Reality War" bringing this season to a close.
Billie Piper unveiled as new Doctor Who as BBC spoiler confirms Ncuti Gatwa's departure
PA/BBC
The two-part finale saw the Doctor face the Rani in a battle to save the world.
As he bid farewell to companion Belinda Chandra, played by Varada Sethu, Gatwa's Doctor said: "I hope you'll see me again, but not like this."
Gatwa's exit follows declining ratings and criticism of recent storylines described as "woke" by some viewers.
The BBC programme has been paused for an extended break amid criticism about recent plots involving non-binary aliens, incels and a pregnant male extra-terrestrial.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
BBC Doctor Who: Ncuti Gatwa plays the current regeneration of the character BBCA small number of social media critics have pointed to the diversity of the cast, a drag queen villain, and introduction of transgender and non-binary characters.
However, showrunner Russell T Davies strongly dismissed this criticism, telling the BBC: "Someone always brings up matters of diversity. And there are online warriors accusing us of diversity and wokeness and involving messages and issues. And I have no time for this."
Gatwa also told Attitude magazine the hateful comments after casting a black man were "fascinating, because there's so much energy they're putting into it".
Piper expressed her enthusiasm about returning to the series, stating: "It's no secret how much I love this show, and I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse as I have some of my best memories there, so to be given the opportunity to step back on that Tardis one more time was just something I couldn't refuse."
Actors Billie Piper and David Tennant of Doctor Who arrive at the TV Quick and TV Choice Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane on September 4, 2006
GETTY
After the broadcast, Piper posted on Instagram: "A rose is a rose is a rose!!!" alongside images from her previous time playing Rose Tyler.
"She originally starred opposite Eccleston's ninth Doctor before continuing with David Tennant as the tenth Doctor in the second series.
Her heartbreaking exit in the finale episode "Doomsday" left viewers in tears.
Piper later returned for the show's fourth series and the 50th Anniversary Special in 2013.
Ncuti Gatwa is the outgoing Doctor Who
BBCDoctor Who's ratings have dropped significantly, with recent episodes watched by around 2.5 million viewers - approximately two million fewer than during Jodie Whittaker's tenure until 2022.
This also represents a dramatic decline from the show's peak audiences of around 13 million viewers on Saturday nights during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
Rumours of Gatwa's departure intensified after his sudden withdrawal from presenting the UK's Eurovision jury scores earlier this month.
A TV insider said: "If the final nail wasn't already in the coffin, it was well and truly hammered in after that. Bosses were incredibly disappointed. Ncuti, as the Doctor, is one of the corporation's most high-profile faces."
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