day trips from dundee scotland

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The 10 Best Day Trips From Dundee

Forever full of surprises, Scotland’s many treasures make for some dreamy day trip adventures. And that includes the Design City of Dundee. With striking Stirling and the Granite City just a brief train journey away and the wealth of star attractions dispersed in nearby places, let us be your tour guide when it comes to the nitty-gritty of enticing whistle-stop shenanigans from Dundee .

1. stonehaven.

Lined with bobbing sailing boats, Stonehaven is a charming harbour town perched just south of Aberdeen. Although famed for its age-old Hogmanay fireballs ceremony, the star of this show is Dunnottar Castle — a photographer’s playground that basks atop some vertigo-inducing cliffs overlooking the North Sea. These brooding ruins are synonymous with Scotland’s enthralling history. Mary, Queen of Scots and William Wallace are but two of the many characters that frequented this fortress. Those supernatural views though!

Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Dunnottar Castle, Stonehaven

Home to one of Scotland’s most historic and important fortresses, Stirling is a sight for sore eyes. Like a kilt pin, it fastens the Highlands and Lowlands together. Hugged by battleground sites linked with Scottish independence, history buffs can delve deeper at the Bannockburn Visitor Centre . Other highlights include the majestic Wallace Monument, medieval Old Town and of course, Stirling Castle herself.

Stirling, Scotland

As pretty as can be, Perth basks beside the River Tay, a renowned hotspot for some of Scotland’s best Atlantic salmon. Overflowing with independent businesses and arty spaces, the shopping and markets are on point, while the supply of local restaurants add some extra flair. The River Tay Public Art Trail is fab for a wee gander, the Museum and Art Gallery a cabinet of wonder and the nearby Scone Palace a true beauty.

Perth, Perthshire, Scotland

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2. Aberdeen

A bustling urban jungle awash with grey, the Granite City boasts a torrent of non-stop activity and breathtaking architecture. Small enough to soak up in a day, Aberdeen is home to one of Scotland’s four ancient universities , which hosts an international community of students set amidst a historic scenic campus worth touring. Out of the many architectural masterpieces, the silvery hues and dramatic façade of Marischal College reign supreme. An oil epicentre, the Deen is suited to culture-hungry souls looking to explore. The train journey is also a sight for sore eyes.

Aberdeen, Scotland

Marischal College | © John Lord / Flickr

3. St Andrews

Less than half an hour away from Dundee, St Andrews is a swoon-worthy spot to visit. As the world’s Home of Golf , this compact coastal town is brimming with golf courses as famous as they are ancient, along with the British Golf Museum . If sports aren’t your thing, there are plenty of independent shops lining the cobbled streets and enough gourmet restaurants and old pubs to tickle the desires of serious foodies. Of course, St Andrews University is worth a tour, as is Eden Mill Distillery, St Andrews Cathedral , the many museums and West Sands Beach. A true gem.

St Andrews, Scotland

St Andrews Cathedral

If only for the banter factor! Twinned with Boring in Oregon and Bland in New South Wales, the wee village of Dull is a testament to the unparalleled Scottish sense of humour. After snapping that Instagramable shot with the ‘Welcome to Dull’ sign and wandering the kirkyard of the centuries-old church, go wild at Highland Safaris . Highlights include a cruise of Loch Tay, Land Rover safaris, gold panning and the Red Deer Centre. Just a stone’s throw are two otherworldly attractions — the Birks Of Aberfeldy and the Scottish Crannog Centre.

Dull, Aberfeldy, Scotland

Dull, Scotland

5. Edinburgh

A no brainer, Edinburgh offers a whirlwind of adventures perfect for both whistle-stop stays and extended visits. After the fancy restaurants and quintessential touristy sites like the Castle, Royal Mile, Arthur’s Seat, Camera Obscura and Scott Monument, it helps to venture off the beaten path with hidden gems like the network of secret gardens, Writers’ Museum, Real Mary King’s Close and Cramond , to name a few. Always a winner.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Natural Feature

7. Loch Fyne

Situated on the west coast of Argyll and Bute, Loch Fyne is an especially long sea loch that dances inland from the Sound of Bute. Overflowing with spellbinding beauty, this mountain-rimmed loch translates as ‘Loch of the Wine’ or ‘Vine’ in Scots Gaelic. Loch Fyne is also a foodie pilgrimage site, thanks to its famous Loch Fyne Oysters and respected restaurants of the same name. The loch is home to a number of basking sharks, seals, dolphins and otters, while Inveraray Castle is also nearby.

Loch Fyne, Cairndow, Scotland

Bursting with personality and endless charm, Glasgow is like that favourite friend — you can’t get enough. From sensational Indian restaurants and Mackintosh architecture, to the esteemed GSA and Kelvingrove Museum , there’s never a dull moment in Scotland’s City of Music. And with its extensive museums, Scotland’s best shopping, knock-out bars and self-led street art tour, don’t be surprised if you end up staying indefinitely! A showstopper of a city.

Glasgow, Scotland

George Square, Glasgow

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Day Trips & Excursions from Dundee

Discover new adventures with day trips and excursions from Dundee. Explore nearby attractions, scenic landscapes, and cultural sites with expert guides. A day of exploration and discovery, perfect for travellers wanting to uncover the best of the region.

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The Kingdom of Fife is synonymous with breath-taking countryside, eye-catching beaches, ancestral heritage and the game of golf.

Located just a short drive across the Tay Bridge from Dundee, it’s perfect for an adventure away from the city. Start your day with a hearty breakfast in a Dundee café then head across the water for a day of exploring that you’ll never forget.

If you’re a golfer, you could be forgiven for thinking you’d arrived in your own personal utopia. The town of St Andrews, located right on the coast, is of course home to the world’s most famous golf course, as well as many others. If you’d like to walk in the footsteps of the game’s legends, this surely has to be the place to do it. The famous Swilcan Bridge on the 18 th fairway is perhaps the most famous photo opportunity in the whole golfing world.

Elsewhere, you can take your pick from a number of activities, including cycling, horse trekking, fishing and shooting. There are plenty of water sports waiting to be enjoyed here, such as kayak tours at Lochore, water skiing at Dunfermline, sailing at St Andrews and windsurfing at Elie Harbour. You’ll be spoilt for choice in this wondrous region.

Needless to say, you don’t have to be as active as this if you don’t want to be. The National Nature Reserve on the Isle of May is a magnet for bird-watchers, for example, while going back in time at Dunfermline’s Pittencrieff House is fascinating for history lovers. Other highlights worthy of mention are the Elie Ness Lighthouse, the fishing village of Anstruther and the Fife Folk Museum at Ceres.

Days out are always enjoyable, but they’re even better when you can return to a city base that has everything you need for unwinding after all that excitement. When you get back to your exceptional Dundee accommodation , you can settle back and unwind in style or head out for drinks, eats and anything else that takes your fancy.

Day Trips in Fife

Saltdog marine.

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Broughty Ferry

The old course st andrews, outside the city, st andrews cathedral, st andrews west sands beach.

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Scottish Deer Centre

Tentsmuir forest & beach, lindores abbey, the r&a world golf museum, st andrews aquarium.

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Muddy Boots

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Tours of Scotland from Dundee, St Andrews Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness etc

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On this page the four large green buttons above link to a wide range of tours that we offer mainly from our base near st andrews and dundee city but also from the other main locations that being the city of edinburgh, the city of glasgow, aberdeen and inverness. our tours also include shore excursions, for cruiseship passengers, which start from the ports near each of the main city locations.   tour options are wide ranging and include part day, full day, long day and multi-day options providing you with the best possible experience.  some of our favourite tours include the isle of skye and the highlands, isle of mull and west coast, lochness and the highlands, highland experience, castle and whisky distillery tours, glamis castle, stirling castle, blair castle, outlander tours, to name but a few. we also offer bespoke itineraries designed to incorporate a range of activities, places to visit, accommodation and restaurants choices etc. built in to suit your wishes.  for example itineraries often include days of sightseeing, games of golf, hikes up a mountain, a whale watching expedition or perhaps a flight on a seaplane etc.  all of which can be experienced in relaxed style on a private tour with a personal driver guide exclusively for your enjoyment,  without the hassle of large group touring.  your personal driver guide (either paul or stuart) will lead you on a journey of amazement to hidden beauty spots and places of particular interest.  scotland is arguably the most beautiful place on earth and has so much to offer in terms of natural beauty and undisturbed countryside, history, character, culture and charm.  of course thats our view and we challenge you to prove otherwise.  the people are friendly and welcoming (honest), the scenery is fantastic, there is mystery and mystyque everywhere you go.  we really do have much to offer and our select range of tours gives you a chance to experience the best of scotland. this includes the rich agricultural landscapes of fife, the remote highlands and mountain ranges in the north and across to west into the heart of scotland and to the rugged west coast. history strikes you wherever you go from the dominant capital of edinburgh city to the incredible battleground areas of scottish independence and from the northern boundaries of the roman empire (hadrians wall) to the mysterious stone monuments of an 'unknown' world. altogether, scotland has so much to offer that we are sure you will have a wonderful and amazing journey with us. n.b. content for this section is updated frequently so please stop by again..

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Things to See & Do in Dundee

With its compact size and streets packed with all sorts of treasures, Dundee is an urban wanderer's delight. Uncover some of Dundee's hidden gems and secret spots to learn more about this historic city with our list of things to see and do in Dundee. 

V&A Dundee Dundee

An image of V&A Dundee in the evening.

The first V&A museum in the world outside London and the first ever dedicated design museum in Scotland, V&A Dundee welcomes you to the world of design and encourages you to explore creativity. Its epic waterfront location and cutting-edge architecture alone are worth a trip, but they also host engaging and topical exhibitions throughout the year. Make sure you check out their current Tartan exhibition, a radical new look at one of the world’s best-known textiles.

Discover the Tartan exhibition

The McManus Art Gallery & Museum Dundee

The McManus Art Gallery & Museum

© VisitScotland / Kenny Lam

Located in a Victorian Gothic building, The McManus Art Gallery & Museum boasts eight open gallery spaces housing exhibitions of art, history and the environment. It's a fascinating day out for the whole family, with a changing programme of events all year round. Best of all, admission is completely free and there's a wee café and gift shop you can visit, too.

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Mills Observatory Dundee

Mills Observatory

Plan a fabulous day out at Mills Observatory. It was gifted to the people of Dundee in 1935 and was the first purpose-built public observatory in the UK! Catch a closer view of the planets and stars with some expert tuition on hand to point out the many other visible astronomical features. From April to September, Mills is open on selected dates when visitors can enjoy a varied programme of public events including family workshops, planetarium shows, talks and solar viewing.

Dundee Science centre Dundee

Interactive Experiences at Dundee Science Centre

Find out about the world around us and how science plays a part in our everyday life at Dundee Science Centre. Visit for a family learning experience, and discover their ever-changing exhibitions full of fun, inspiring, and innovative hands-on exhibits and moments.

Camperdown Wildlife Centre Dundee

Daffodils at Camperdown Park

Camperdown Country Park is Dundee's largest public park. Located just three miles outside the city centre, it boasts an impressive arboricultural history, with rare and exotic species of tree and plant life around each corner. It also offers a fantastic family day out, with a whole host of animals from around the world to visit and learn about.

Verdant Works Dundee

Verdant Works

Relive the story of Dundee's industrial textile and social heritage in the beautifully refurbished mill building dating back to 1833. Hear the tales of the mill workers, and see how they lived and worked in an industry which enveloped Dundee at this 5-Star Attraction.

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Discovery Point Dundee

RRS Discovery

Experience life in the Antarctic with Captain Scott and his crew on the RRS Discovery at Discovery Point. See how Scott and his crew survived while navigating their vessel on one of the most intrepid voyages ever undertaken. During the visit keep your eyes peeled for Gaia , a striking suspended artwork by acclaimed British artist, Luke Jerram. 

Dundee Cycle Hub Dundee City

Dundee Cycle Hub

Dundee Cycle Hub is the one stop shop for cycling and active travel in Dundee. Hire a bike, take a cycle tour, get advice and maps to help you explore. Enjoy a cup of superb coffee with a slice of cake while taking in the lovely views or waiting to have your bike repaired.

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Tay Bridge, Dundee

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Largest Private Coach Operator In Dundee

An Enviable Reputation

Welcome to Fishers Tours of Dundee! Over the last couple of decades we’ve been busy building up our reputation as one of the premier providers of bus and coach travel in Dundee, Angus and Fife.

We specialize in coach hire, school transport and local/long-distance services, including our extremely popular Scottish Express Service. We can also organize a day trip or coach holiday to suit specific needs throughout the UK.

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We are noted for our clean, comfortable and well presented coaches.  Our uniformed driving staff are renowned for their courteous and friendly service, and of course, all of our coaches are fitted with seat belts.

Our already stringent cleaning regime has been increased with all the vehicles being cleaned daily, while after every journey the vehicles are sprayed with an anti-bacterial spray and all touch points wiped down.

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The full 2024 timetable commences on Monday 18 March 2024 and the timetable is now available by clicking here or by giving us a call. Our booking office is open Monday to Thursday 0900-1200 and 1300-1700, and Friday 0900-1200 and 1300-1630.

When you phone to book we will ask you for all passengers names and a contact telephone number. If you phone out of hours, please leave your name and number on our answering machine and we will get back to you during opening hours.

Our Scottish Express Services are now in their 18th year and travel to destinations throughout Scotland. Setting off from Brechin, Kirriemuir, Forfar, Arbroath, Dundee, Fife and points in-between, you travel to the destination of your choice with no changing coaches. We pick up and drop off at points all along all our routes.

To find out if we stop at a stop near you, or if you wish to reserve a seat, or just to find out more information on the Scottish Express , call us on 01382 227290, then select option 1.

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It costs nothing to book your journey and we accept all valid Scottish concession passes – older person, disabled, visually impared and under-22 – so concession pass holders can travel free on any of our Scottish Express services.

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Book Your Journey Today – Call on 01382 227290 (option 1)

Remember, there’s no booking fee. Please remember that when you reserve a seat, we are unable to reserve specific seats on the coach. Reserving a seat merely means that, especially on busier runs, you are guaranteed to be able to travel.

A day trip to Dundee from Edinburgh

• Post author: Elina Michaelidou
• Post published: 06/02/2020
• Post category: Empnefsys / Photography
• Post comments: 0 Comments
• Reading time: 8 mins read

The next destination for the Photographic Society of the University of Edinburgh was this day trip to Dundee, Scotland’s 4 th largest city. The main point of interest was the brand new (then) V&A Museum in Dundee and the Tay (Rail) Bridge. We didn’t follow any nature trail as we did during our previous day trips (see A day trip to Peebles for an example). Nevertheless, you can find the route we followed below.

Disclosure: Please note that this post contains affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link marked with [AD] and proceed to make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you .

Getting there

There are direct trains from Edinburgh to Dundee every half an hour. You can get the train either from Edinburgh Waverly or Haymarket stations. The train journey should last between 1 hour and 1 hour and a half (depending on the stops of the train). Once you reach Dundee station, the city centre and the main sights are only a few steps away.

Buy your train tickets easily and quickly using Trainline . [AD]

Things to do

Dundee has many museums to visit. One of the highlights is the relatively new V&A (Victoria and Albert) Museum in Dundee, Scotland’s first design museum, the little brother of the V&A Museum in London. Then, there is the RSS Discovery , Dundee Science Centre , Dundee Contemporary Arts and the McManus Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum . Of course, you should not leave Dundee without having a look at the Tay Rail Bridge , which you most probably would have crossed on your way there. Lastly, pass by Magdalen Green on your way back to the city centre.

Day Trip to Dundee – Photo Diary

All photos were taken using the camera  Sony ILCE-5100   [AD] and the  16-50mm [AD]  or  55-210mm   [AD] lense unless otherwise specified.

P.S. What do you think about my Scottish travel diaries? Let me know in the comments below! I still have a few more to upload so your feedback would be much appreciated! ?

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Elina Michaelidou

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Scotland fans drown their sorrows the day after Germany Euro 2024 humiliation at Munich BEER FESTIVAL

• Graham Mann
• Paul Rodger
• Published : 16:39, 15 Jun 2024
• Updated : 16:43, 15 Jun 2024
• Published : Invalid Date,

HUNGOVER Scotland fans drowned their sorrows when a huge beer festival turned up on cue at the Marienplatz party hub.

Six of Munich’s world-famous brewers rolled into the square for a 10am start as the Tartan Army , nursing the mother of all hangovers, woke up from their opening match nightmare.

Horse drawn carriages loaded with booze trundled into view at the crack of dawn and brass bands blasted out traditional Bavarian tunes to give Scots another thumping wake up call.

And so as they mulled over the trauma of losing 5-1 to the hosts, hundreds of bedraggled footsoldiers got back on the booze albeit with a little less gusto than the pre-match celebrations that lit up the tourney the night before.

They couldn’t resist taking advantage of the 530-year booze ceremony where young brewers pledge to uphold the city’s mediaeval beer purity law .

Jim McKenzie, 65, a retired crane operator from Dundee , said: “My hangover is bad but Scotland were even worse.

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“There will be a lot of sore heads this morning and not just because of the drinking .”

He added: “The main thing is we got here. There’s still two games to go, so roll on Cologne.

“The drinks will be flowing again today. The Tartan Army will get over this.”

Dubbed Munich Brewers’ Day, the event takes place every two years when the city’s six major breweries join forces to host the gathering in the historic square.

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The six breweries that make up the Munich Breweries Association include Hofbräu, Spaten-Franziskaner, Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Paulaner and Löwenbräu.

They are also the only brewers who are allowed to sell their products at the world-famous Oktoberfest - or Scottoberfest as many have dubbed the Euros party .

Rob Duff, 68, a dad-of-two and a retired languages teacher from Selkirk, Roxburghshire, said: “I’ve been a Scotland supporter all my life and I’m an old man, it’s a rollercoaster. You come in a way up, you go down.

“Me and my mate have put it behind us. We’re in for a wee tour around Munich today and will enjoy some beer for sure.”

Ian Wilson, 63, a dad-of-one and retired pharmaceutical worker from Edinburgh , said: “We’ve not booked our flights home yet. You never know.

“We’ll all get back on the beers today. This festival looks brilliant.”

The sunshine also made way for rain showers to add to the gloom but in typical Tartan Army style there were still little rays of hope ahead of Wednesday night’s crucial clash with Switzerland in Cologne.

Father and son Allan and Marcus Waite were traipsing back to Aberdeen the morning after seeing their heroes take a sore one after wild pre-match celebrations.

Surveyor Allan, 54, said: “It was obviously a very disappointing result as we went in with high expectations, thinking we could maybe have got a draw.

“But it was fairly evident early on that Germany were a fantastic team and we just didn’t seem to turn up unfortunately.

“The sending off came when we were 2-0 down and the writing was on the wall.

“It’s on to the next two matches now and we go their with optimism because we are still in the tournament.”

Business owner Marcus, 18, added: “The build up was amazing and the atmosphere was very good but Scotland just didn’t turn up.

“The pressure just got to them and a very good Germany team did turn up and we were outclassed on the night.

“We need to put it behind us and look to the next two games and hopefully salvage our reputation a wee bit.”

Jim O’Rourke, 75, watched the footie horror show unfold in the Olympic Park fan zone where the excitement evaporated as Scotland floundered.

The Glaswegian who now lives in Northern Ireland said: “We were blown apart by Germany, right from the start and it was very difficult to recover.

“We had no composure and we didn’t lay a glove on them. When you think back to the performances against Spain and Denmark this was very disappointing.

“The atmosphere in the fan zone was amazing and we certainly enjoyed that but now we move on.”

Jim’s son Gary, 54, said: “If we can get four points from the next two games we can go through but there wasn’t a lot in the game last night to give you hope.

“But hopefully in a few days the guy can turn it around we will be dreaming again come Wednesday.”

Joel, 18, the third generation of the O’Rourke family on the footie trip, added: “We were all so excited for it in the fan zone and the atmosphere was incredible so when we got to the first ten minutes and we were already one down it was anticlimactic.

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SUNSPORT is going Ballistic with the launch of our brilliant new podcast.

Every day of the Euros host Roger Hannah will bring you all the latest news and views from the Scotland camp in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

He will be joined by our men in Germany - Bill Leckie, Robert Grieve and Derek McGregor.

And there will also be special guest appearances from our Euro 2024 columnist Gordon Strachan, regular columnist Kris Boyd and bookie basher Jim Delahunt.

You can watch every episode on our website or our brand new YouTube channel .

What are you waiting for, it's time to Go Ballistic!

Keep up to date with ALL t h e latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page

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The 15th Doctor Will See You Now

In his first season leading “Doctor Who,” Ncuti Gatwa has brought charisma, emotion and even more camp to the long-running sci-fi show.

“I didn’t think I was going to get it,” Ncuti Gatwa said of the titular role in “Doctor Who.” “British casting has taken a long time to diversify — why would it be now, and why me?” Credit... Kemka Ajoku for The New York Times

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By Roslyn Sulcas

Roslyn Sulcas met Ncuti Gatwa in London, and visited the “Doctor Who” set in Cardiff, Wales.

• June 15, 2024

“Give-ING! That dress is giving!” said Ncuti Gatwa with a burst of unbridled laughter. The newest Doctor Who had been shooting the same scene for several hours in Cardiff, Wales, where hangar-like spaces were teeming with crew and filled with sets and equipment for the show. (Yes, Whovians, the TARDIS was parked nearby.) Now, at the director’s request, the new Doctor was improvising.

Gatwa (whose first name is pronounced “Shoo-ti”) laughs a lot, often at himself. “Why do I keep moving this footstool?” he asked a few minutes later as he tried to get into position for yet another take. “Because the art department isn’t here to do it for you,” teased Varada Sethu, who joins the Doctor and his current companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) for some adventures in Gatwa’s second season. “I have to do everything myself!” cried Gatwa in a mock-tragic tone, before another eruption of mirth.

Born in Rwanda and raised in Scotland, Gatwa, 31, made his name playing the effervescent Eric in Netflix’s “ Sex Education .” But the lead role in “Doctor Who,” a British institution about a time-traveling alien and his human companion that has been a BBC stalwart for 60 years, has taken him to another level of fame.

(Conveniently, the doctor periodically dies and is regenerated in a different physical form; Gatwa is the 15th Doctor, following Matt Smith, David Tennant and Jodie Whittaker .)

The show — which first ran between 1963 and 1989 — was revived in 2005 and today has an exceptionally diverse, intergenerational fan base . But the current season, which ends on June 21, has ushered in a new era for the show, with Disney+ now a co-producer alongside the BBC and Gatwa the show’s first Black lead actor, with a distinctly fabulous vibe.

The pressures and expectations surrounding these firsts aren’t lost on Gatwa, who grew up in a working class home in Dunfermline, Scotland. “‘Doctor Who,’” he said, “is something I remember as almost over our heads, something we knew was important culturally, like the royals.” His audition “was lovely, but I didn’t think I was going to get it,” he said. “British casting has taken a long time to diversify — why would it be now, and why me?”

The anxiety he felt about “getting it right, living up to the amazing people who have done this role,” lasted through filming the first season, Gatwa said. “Gradually, it became clear to me that there isn’t a mold you need to step into to portray the Doctor,” he said. “It can come out of you naturally.”

Russell T Davies, who is back as the “Doctor Who” showrunner after masterminding the 2005 reboot, said that although the increased production budget had allowed for more special effects, “it’s still me sitting with a script, making good dialogue for actors,” he said.

In the past, he added, the Doctor “has been marvelously inexpressive and enigmatic and alien, and great actors have done that very well.” But in 2024, “I want a young audience watching, and they talk about their emotions, express their emotions in a healthy way.” Then, “along came Ncuti, who is one of those actors who pour with feeling,” Davies said. “When he is sad, tears pour from his eyes; when he is happy, that smile lights up the universe.”

Viewers who have watched Gatwa’s Doctor battle the Maestro (Jinkx Monsoon) , perform a song and dance number, stand on a land mine for an entire episode and suit up in Regency attire for a “Bridgerton”-themed episode, are likely to agree. He “truly feels like a Doctor Who for the 21st century,” wrote Maya Phillips in The New York Times. He is “stylish and liberated,” she added, “with a vibe that is sensual and unbuttoned; he’s a Doctor who seems much more at home than the others in his body.”

The companion’s role is usually “to have the human qualities the doctor lacks,” Gibson said, but the relationship between this Doctor and the companion she plays feels different. “Ruby’s youth allows him to let out his inner child,” she said. “You see that Ruby and the Doctor really care for one another; the way they communicate and laugh is very loving.” Gatwa “is a force of nature, just magic,” she added. “He has this aura about him that everything can feed off.”

On a busy day in April, Gatwa, dressed in a flower-embossed red shirt, was demonstrating Gibson’s force-of-nature theory in an interview, gesticulating, laughing uproariously and attempting to eat avocado toast while talking about his past and his career. Even an interruption by an assistant bearing forgotten contact lenses was greeted with incommensurate joy: “Yay! Oh, my God, yessss! Hallelujah, aahhhh, great!”

“You need glasses,” she told him. “I know, but I’m so vain,” he said plaintively. More laughter.

Born in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, Gatwa was 2 when his parents — a journalist and a bank manager — moved to Scotland with their three children to escape the 1994 Rwandan genocide . Largely raised by his mother, he took drama in high school and had an aha moment playing Commander Khashoggi in his school production of “We Will Rock You.”

He roared with laughter. “I must have been SOOOO bad! But at that point, I was like, thisssss is what I want to do.”

Gatwa said that his family “were one of three Black families we knew in, like, all of Scotland, which I both noticed and didn’t notice.” But he didn’t doubt, he said, that there would be a path for him in the theater: “I always saw a Black actor working.”

He spent three years at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (“I LOVED LOVED LOVED it”), and then a post-graduation year with the Dundee Repertory Theater (“Greek drama to Agatha Christie”). Jobs followed playing Mercutio in “Romeo and Juliet” at the Home theater in Manchester, England, (“where I saw a ghost — I swear”), and then roles in “Shakespeare in Love” in the West End and in Emma Rice’s “ 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips .”

Gatwa “is obviously one of the most beautiful, charismatic people you will ever meet,” Rice said in a video conversation. “But he also has phenomenal emotional depth he brought to every rehearsal and every performance, an incredible work ethic and an amazing ability to talk to the audience.”

After “946,” Gatwa was suddenly out of work and broke, temping at Harrods, a department store, to make ends meet. He was in his eighth month of sleeping at his best friend’s apartment when he got the part of Captain Jack Absolute in a production of Richard B. Sheridan’s “The Rivals.” Then came the call to audition for “Sex Education.”

When he got the job, he said, his primary thought was that he could pay his overdue bills. He had hardly done any screen work before, but discovered that the show, with its ensemble cast, didn’t feel too different from a theater group.

“I had never really met someone like him before, so full of life and experience and so buoyant,” said Emma Mackey, one of his co-stars. “He took up that space offered and grew into it; we were an alliance, but Ncuti really lead us in that frame of mind.”

Ben Taylor, the lead director for Season 1, said that at the first table read, “there was a sigh of relief and also confidence around the table, because Ncuti knew the show possibly before the show knew itself.”

Gatwa said that playing Eric, a lovable gay teenager from a religious British-Nigerian family, over four seasons taught him to be braver. “Eric was so dedicated to his authenticity, living his truth. That has permeated into my life,” he said.

After “Sex Education” ended, Gatwa played supporting roles in “ Masters of the Air ” and “ Barbie ,” and one day texted his agent, saying he would “love to play Willy Wonka or Doctor Who.” She replied that the “Doctor Who” casting director, Andy Pryor, had just asked him to audition.

“It sounds like a showbiz story, but the last person we saw was Ncuti — and bang!” Davies said. “I knew then and there that was the man.”

Gatwa said that he and Davies didn’t have many discussions about his portrayal of the Doctor. “This is a character that is constantly born again, with fresh eyes,” he said. “There is an element of innocence within the Doctor. For me, that’s where his curiosity comes from, the confidence to explore the unknown in the way kids do.”

Asked whether he consciously incorporated more L.G.B.T.Q. elements into Gatwa’s first season, Davies pointed out that he has been putting gay characters onscreen for around 30 years. “We never had a sexuality meeting,” he said with a laugh. “And the Doctor is an alien, of course — he’s not Ncuti Gatwa, and I think human labels barely apply to him. He loves Ruby with all his heart. He doesn’t care what gender people are.”

Gatwa had another take. “I feel like ‘Doctor Who’ has always been a bit camp,” he said. “I mean, it’s a time-traveling alien in a British police box!”

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