Main image: Ncuti and the Doctor pose for the first of many selfies.

This July saw Madame Tussauds renew its long-standing connection with Doctor Who as the new figure of Ncuti Gatwa was unveiled to the public at their flagship London attraction. DWM catches up with Madame Tussauds’ principal sculptor Stephen Mansfield and set designer Amanda So to get the background on this stunning Whoniverse set.

The Doctor and Liz pay a visit to Madame Tussauds in Spearhead from Space (1970).

Four Doctors and one wax figure.

The Thirteenth Doctor in Blackpool.

Madame Tussauds London’s relationship with Doctor Who can be traced back to the Third Doctor’s night time expedition there in 1970’s Spearhead from Space. In 1981, the Fourth Doctor famously became the first to be represented as a wax figure, which was then subsequently used as a stand-in for promotional pics for The Five Doctors in 1983. In 2018, Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor was the star at Madame Tussauds in Blackpool. Now it’s the turn of Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor to get the wax treatment.

Given the history between these two iconic brands it should come as no surprise that Stephen Mansfield, the principal sculptor responsible for creating Ncuti’s figure is no stranger to the show. He created some of the most beloved characters from the Sylvester McCoy era, including the Destroyer from Battlefield (1987) and our own personal favourite, Fifi, from 1988’s The Happiness Patrol. Stephen assures us that in spite of a bit of wear and tear, Fifi is still looking great.