David Tennant and Ncuti Gatwa’s Tenth and Fifteenth Doctors trade their outfits in a Doctor Who fanart. The Sex Education star became the latest actor to portray the series’ leading time-traveler after making his debut in the final 60th-anniversary special in 2023, before leading the series under returning showrunner Russell T Davies. While Tennant preceded Gatwa as the Fourteenth Doctor, he is more recognizable for his time as the Tenth Doctor from 2005 to 2009, under Davies’ original tenure.
Before Gatwa returns in the 2024 seasonal special, his incarnation of the Time Lord crossed paths with one of his past selves in nipunidraw’sDoctor Who fanart on Instagram.
In the piece above, Gatwa dons the Tenth Doctor’s brown suit and flowing brown coat, while Tennant’s incarnation tries on the leather coat, specifically wearing the outfit seen in the final moments of “The Church on Ruby Road” and “Space Babies.” After a season that challenged the Doctor and his impact on the universe, both incarnations are more cheerful in the art piece.
The Fifteenth Doctor’s Wardrobe Was A Perfect Change For Doctor Who
Gatwa’s Outfit Is One Of His Era’s Most Discussed Elements.
One notable aspect that has stood out throughout Gatwa’s Doctor Who adventures is his incarnation’s expansive wardrobe. Upon joining the series and moving on to develop his costume, Davies revealed that the show’s larger budget due to the Disney+ deal allowed the series to give the Time Lord new costumes for each adventure. Past incarnations of the Doctor did have slight variations, costume changes between seasons, and rare situational costumes, but for the most part, they stuck to a recognizable silhouette, no matter what anachronisms they may face.
With Gatwa highlighting Jon Pertwee’s Third Doctor as a personal favorite of his, it is unsurprising that his Regency-era outfit from “Rogue” evokes the costumes of the 70s incarnation, while his long brown coat emulates the Tenth Doctor’s duster coat that Tennant requested for his first tenure.
Furthermore, not only does Gatwa’s wardrobe allow the Time Lord to blend in wherever he lands, but he also pays respect to the outfits that came from his predecessors. With Gatwa highlighting Jon Pertwee’s Third Doctor as a personal favorite of his, it is unsurprising that his Regency-era outfit from “Rogue” evokes the costumes of the 70s incarnation, while his long brown coat emulates the Tenth Doctor’s duster coat that Tennant requested for his first tenure. As such, Gatwa’s costumes are both a fresh shake-up to the series and a loving tribute.
While only three new costumes from Doctor Who season 15 have been seen publicly, along with the return of the Fifteenth Doctor’s 60s pin-stripe suit, Gatwa’s wardrobe will undoubtedly expand further in 2025. However, much like how Jodie Whittaker donned a kitbashed outfit of her predecessor’s clothes in her final story, there are questions about how the latest Doctor may look in past fits. As such, the latest art is a wonderful lighthearted what-if meeting between two fan-favorite incarnations.