Russell T Davies tips ‘Doctor Who’ star Ncuti Gatwa for James Bond role

Russell T Davies reckons ‘Doctor Who’ star Ncuti Gatwa will soon be tapped up to play James Bond.

The long running BBC sci-fi series’ showrunner, 61, recruited the ‘Sex Education’ actor, 31, after he was thrust to fame thanks to the raunchy Netflix show, and says he was amazed the makers of 007 were not among the “feeding frenzy” of TV and film producers who wanted to cast him when his time was up on the comedy show.

He told Metro: “Everyone in the industry knew Ncuti was leaving ‘Sex Education’. You simply had to imagine there was a feeding frenzy for him – that people were queueing up at the door. And they were.

“Fortunately, and he says this himself, most of them were for parts like his Eric in ‘Sex Education’.

“He wanted to do something different, and we were different.

“But I’m astonished the James Bond people weren’t there – and I think in five years’ time they will be.”

Russell added about how he thinks Ncuti and his sidekick on the show Ruby Sunday, played by former ‘Coronation Street’ actress Millie Gibson, 19, have huge futures: “I think Ncuti and Millie are on the cusp of superstardom.

“Remember when we cast Billie Piper in ‘Doctor Who’?

“One of my greatest joys was shooting the first season before it had been on air and people were mocking us for casting a pop star.

“And we knew. We watched Billie every day on the rushes be so sensational.

“There’s a career that is sustaining itself to this day.

“She’s won Olivier Awards for being on stage. Not just TV. She’s a phenomenon.

“And I feel like that all over again now.

“I can’t wait for people to see Ncuti and Millie in this series.”