With the new series of Doctor Who just around the corner, it was a welcome sight when I received an invite to the show’s premiere last month.

But it cannot be ignored that in recent weeks, speculation has been rife about the show’s future, with sources claiming that star Ncuti Gatwa is poised to depart after this upcoming run of episodes.

With this in mind, and as a fan of the show since its revival in 2005, I headed to London to see the new series’ first episode, тιтled The Robot Revolution, which will be released on April 12.

And while I won’t be divulging any details about the opener, it became clear that watching the cast’s Q&A at the event, they were equally fearful about giving away any plot points that this new series could contain.

Likewise, there was no mention of any episodes beyond this second series, echoing the BBC’s insistence that Disney will make a decision on its deal with the channel when these episodes, and the recently-filmed spin-off, have hit screens.

Taking to the stage were frontman Ncuti, as well as his new companion Varada Sethu, who makes her debut this series as the outspoken new companion Belinda Chandra.

As Doctor Who returns to screens next week, rumours have been swirling about the show’s uncertain future (pictured stars Varada Sethu, Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson)

While I won’t be divulging any details about the opener, it became clear that watching the cast’s Q&A, they were equally fearful about giving away any plot points

Millie Gibson has also returned to reprise her role as Ruby Sunday, with Anita Dobson also back as Mrs Flood, a character who, unsurprisingly, has sparked wild theories from fans online.

Now, it’s clear that the BBC’s collaboration with Disney+ has taken the ‘Whoniverse’ in a new direction, hoping to bring the beloved sci-fi to greater heights by bringing in a whole new audience of viewers.

But in a world where streaming services such as Netflix dominate the landscape, the show has had to change its broadcast model after decades as a fixture of terrestrial Saturday night TV, meaning overnight figures seem far lower than just a decade earlier.

It’s a move that’s been praised by showrunner Russell T Davies, who noted that since the entire archive of Doctor Who episodes was released on BBC iPlayer, it’s amᴀssed huge viewing figures.

However, he was also quick to note that BBC bosses should do more to promote the show on the platform, again echoing the shift by younger viewers to consuming content online.

He said ‘I think the most fantastic thing we’ve done, and I’m so proud of it, is to put all the episodes from 1963 onto the iPlayer, which last year got 70 million viewing hours.

‘That’s astonishing, and that’s hours, which is amazing, and that all helps feed the current show, Ncuti your Christmas episode, is now up to 7.4 million viewers.

‘If you’re eight years old, imagine how much of that there is to explore. I still think the iPlayer is a sleeping giant, I keep asking the BBC to do a trailer for it, because there’s three generations of people sitting here, who don’t actually know you can watch the first Dalek story, Ncuti’s first story. Advertise it for God’s sake!’

This new series, which sees Millie Gibson reprise her role as Ruby Sunday (pictured), has faced swirling rumours that it could be shelved following this second series

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Low ratings have been a key issue in the claims around Doctor Who’s future, as well as repeated accusations that the show has become bogged down by ‘woke’ storylines.

A select number of fans have vented their fury at the introduction of transgender and non-binary characters who would lash out at people ‘ᴀssuming their gender’, as well as a deranged new villain played by a drag queen. 

However, Russell, who previously earned critical praise for his hard-hitting AIDS drama It’s A Sin, has hit back, insisting: ‘I think we don’t think about it at all, it’s just like breathing. 

‘That’s just life, that’s like opening your front door and there is the world. There’s nothing special or unique about that, although there is something important about that, to open that door and show the world, and then you see yourself on television, you feel visible, you feel seen, and that’s a better day. That’s a wonderful thing to do.’

Ahead of the second series, it’s also been claimed that star Ncuti is poised to depart following this run of episodes, with sources previously claiming his team ‘doesn’t want him to be tied the show,’ with a string of Hollywood offers lined up.

Of course there were no signs of tension as he posed for snaps with his co-stars, and he said that for this second run, he felt ‘more settled’ in the role.

He also touched on the show’s fiercely loyal fanbase, who are quick to dissect and speculate every little detail of episodes, and have already come up with various theories about how this series could unfold.

Showrunner Russell T Davies said he’s urging BBC bosses to promote the series on iPlayer, after its entire archive of episodes drew in huge streaming figures

Ahead of the second series, it’s also been claimed that star Ncuti is poised to depart following this run of episodes

Ncuti said: ‘There is a lot of opinions, but I process it in a way of, it feels like an honour to be a part of a show that has such love behind it and that’s been building for 60 years… 

‘It’s beautiful to be a part of something like that, the fans feed the show and the show feeds the fans, and it feels like a very rich relationship. 

‘It’s exciting to be a part of something that’s so fueled by the fans… They don’t miss an ounce of every single piece of work that’s poured into it, no matter how small the minute, they pick up on everything, every subtle little thing. 

‘So you feel like your work is really appreciated, which I don’t think that’s arrogant to say, but it’s like they really think.’

Varada has also joined the cast as The Doctor’s new companion Belinda, and far from a wide-eyed Earthling in awe of the Time Lord and his time machine, she is just focused on getting back to her home world. 

This new series also features a string of guest stars, with Rylan Clark set to cameo as himself, in an episode that features a big-budget, interstellar take on the Eurovision Song Contest, and Rose Ayling-Ellis starring in an episode that’s been dubbed one of the show’s ‘scariest ever.’

However, with the BBC тιԍнт-lipped on Doctor Who’s future beyond this current chunk of episodes, it remains to be seen whether this new run will be a hit with fans. 

Doctor Who returns on Saturday, April 12, on BBC One and iPlayer.