Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa has said the new series of the sci-fi show explores “subcultures of British fashion” through his character’s outfits.
The long-running BBC series will return to screens in May starring Gatwa, 31, as the 15th incarnation of the Doctor.
In the trailer for the upcoming series, the Time Lord and his new companion Ruby Sunday, played by former Coronation Street actress Millie Gibson, can be seen in a variety of outfits from different time periods.
Speaking to the PA news agency, the Sex Education star said: “The Doctor, he loves his fashion. I think we tried to explore a lot of subcultures of British fashion through this iconic, institutional character.
“We thought ‘What a good opportunity to do so’. He’s got a lot of clothes.”
Showrunner Russell T Davies, who was behind the 2005 revival of the show, said they would have been “mad” not to explore the Doctor’s sense of style given Gatwa’s good looks and fashion sense.
He told PA: “Weirdly, even before we cast him (Gatwa), this was something we wanted out of a new Doctor again.
“It’s quite strange that he wore the same clothes all the time. Although I say that as a middle-aged man who does wear the same clothes all the time, because that’s what men do.
“But he’s not a man. He’s a Time Lord. So, we already wanted to kind of loosen that up.
“Lo and behold, we then cast a man who is – we cast him for his absolute brilliance and his acting talents – but at the same time, by coincidence, he is the world’s greatest clothes horse.
“I mean, he looks stunning in everything he wears, so we’d be mad not to explore that.
“Actually he’s wanted to explore that, and also Millie at his side with a great big range of looks.
“It kind of means you can always tell which episode you’re watching.
“‘This is the one where he wears that, this is the one where he wears that’ and it kind of tones every single episode.”
A double bill of the new series will land on BBC iPlayer at midnight on Saturday May 11 before it airs on BBC One later in the day, ahead of the final of the Eurovision Song Contest, which will also air on the BBC.
A new episode will be available on BBC iPlayer at midnight on Saturdays before airing during a primetime slot on BBC One each week.
The first episode is called Space Babies and will be followed by The Devil’s Chord, Boom, 73 Yards, Dot And Bubble, Rogue, The Legend Of Ruby Sunday and Empire Of Death.
Those outside of the UK will be able to stream the programme on Disney+ from May 10 at 7pm ET.