Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa has debuted an unexpected new role.

The actor, who is also known for his role as Eric Effiong in Sex Education, is featured on singer Jade Thirlwall's new single 'Midnight Cowboy'.

The R&B hit, which has been co-written by BRIT Award winner Raye, comes after Thirlwall's successful solo debut in July. 'Angel Of My Dreams' was named by Billboard as one of the best singles released this year.

ncuti gatwa, doctor who premiere
Tommaso Boddi/GA//Getty Images

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Gatwa acts as an MC for the new track, which he begins by announcing: "Ladies and gentlemen, theys and thems. Hold on tight, the performance is about to begin."

The star proceeds to interject throughout the song, which Thirlwall describes as a "sultry, understated bass-heavy bop about owning your sexuality and your talents that come with it".

The singer later penned a tribute to Gatwa on Instagram, writing: "Big thank you @ncutigatwa for jumping on the track – you were perfect."

Related: Doctor Who stars Jodie Whittaker and David Tennant reunite in heartwarming photo

To celebrate the release of the song, Gatwa also took to Instagram on Monday (September 23) to post a video of himself and the former Little Mix star lip syncing and bopping along to the tune. "Giddy up," read the post's caption.

Fans quickly took to the comments section to share their excitement at the collaboration, with one writing: "This level of iconicness has never been reached... until now."

"PERFECT DUO! Jade needs a trip in the Tardis," another added.

A third fan echoed the sentiment: "My worlds are colliding," with another writing: "The duo I didn't know I needed until now."

doctor who stars ncuti gatwa and millie gibson in the tardis, with the doctor's diner style jukebox in the background behind them
James Pardon//BBC

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Following the debut of his first season of Doctor Who earlier this year, Gatwa is preparing for a run on the London stage in the National Theatre's revival of The Importance of Being Earnest.

The play, which also stars Hugh Skinner and Eliza Scanlen, will run from November to January, though fans will be able to watch the show in cinemas from February 20 as part of National Theatre Live.

Ahead of treading the boards, Gatwa will appear on The Graham Norton Show next month to talk about his stage role and upcoming adventures in the TARDIS.

The actor will embark on another galactic escapade in Doctor Who's 2024 Christmas special, titled 'Joy to the World' – which features Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan as the titular character Joy.

Doctor Who airs on BBC One in the UK and Disney+ elsewhere. Classic episodes of Doctor Who are available on BBC iPlayer in the UK.

Interested in talking about Doctor Who? Visit our dedicated sub-forum

Read more Doctor Who news on our dedicated homepage

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Sara Baalla
Freelance news reporter

Sara is an entertainment journalist who specialises in TV and film. After studying journalism at the University of Roehampton, Sara joined Digital Spy in 2023, writing news (and the occasional feature) on all things entertainment. She has also written for the culture desk at The Evening Standard. A lover of all things TV and film, Sara can wax lyrical about everything from Bridgerton to The Witcher. She can also recite entire episodes of New GirlBrooklyn Nine-Nine and Parks and Recreation. In her spare time, Sara loves to knit, crochet and cross-stitch. Also a musical theatre aficionado, Sara counts Samantha Barks as one of her heroes and is a loyal fan of Jodie Comer.