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"I kind of find it really funny."

Mandip Gill's Doctor Who character, Yaz Khan, will soon take one last trip in the TARDIS as she's set to depart the long-running sci-fi series later this year.

However, despite waving goodbye to the beloved BBC show, Gill has made it clear she's still excited to see the next chapter of Doctor Who with Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa at the helm.

It was recently announced that Gatwa will be taking over as The Doctor when Jodie Whittaker's incarnation regenerates in a feature-length special this Autumn.

Chatting exclusively to Digital Spy, Gill shared her thoughts on Gatwa's casting and revealed how returning showrunner Russell T Davies kept the news secret for so long.

Related: Ncuti Gatwa thanks previous Doctor Who stars for their support in heartfelt video

“It's so exciting!” Gill enthused. "He wasn't one of the people that people were talking about."

The actress confessed that before the casting news broke, Davies was taking special measures to keep the new Doctor's identity secret.

She revealed the incoming Doctor Who showrunner was keen to throw fans off the scent as they speculated about which star would be taking on the role.

"Russell T Davies himself actually said that he put out false rumours which I kind of find really funny," Gill explained.

Related: Doctor Who merchandise – gifts, Lego figures and more

Further detailing her enthusiasm for Gatwa to join the show, Gill remarked: "He's a perfect person to be doing it. It was always about the best actor for the part. I've not seen much of his work, so that's quite exciting."

Praising Gatwa for his passion for Doctor Who, Gill went on to say she believes the actor is "exactly what that show needs".

Having already filmed her final scenes for Doctor Who, Gill has already moved on to a new project and is currently starring alongside Harry Potter's Tom Felton in 2:22 A Ghost Story. The duo play husband and wife in the thriller play which is running at London's Criterion Theatre.

Doctor Who's next special premieres in Autumn 2022 on BBC One in the UK. In the US, the show airs on BBC America, with series 1-12 available on HBO Max.

For more information on Doctor Who: Time Fracture, head this way – tickets are also available via retailers including LOVEtheatre, London Theatre Direct, Fever and Ticketmaster.