Doctor Who actors in order: who came first, Pertwee, Baker or Troughton?

It's a thrilling time for Doctor Who fans: after a year's hiatus, the BBC's sci-fi extravaganza returned to screens in November with the first of a trio of 60th anniversary specials. David Tennant reprised his role as the Doctor, and was joined on screen by his old companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate).

"What a lovely, lovely thing to get to revisit something that was such a wonderful, happy, significant time in my life,” said Tennant about turning into the Doctor, 13 years after officially leaving the role.

A Doctor Who special, starring Sex Education's Ncuti Gatwa as the Time Lord, then premiered on Christmas Day – and fans loved it.

“Compared to Tennant’s tired old Doctor at the end of [the last special, titled] The Giggle, Gatwa’s take on the character is brimming with joy, the person who can wear a tank top and a kilt to a club night and have the camera linger over every angle of his body. And why not?” said the Standard.

Now, the brand new series of Doctor Who is just two weeks away from airing – with each of its eight episodes set to drop weekly.

Details about the upcoming plot have been kept under wraps, but in an interview with Rolling Stone in July, Gatwa provided a glimpse into his interpretation of the Doctor: "The quality I admire most about the Doctor is that they fight for every life in the universe. Good or bad, foe or friend, they see the importance of everyone's life," he said.

"The show ultimately is about kindness and acceptance and that's what I love most about The Doctor – and Doctor Who."

There have been 13 actors who have played the time-travelling alien before Gatwa, each with their own distinct interpretation of the role. It's a core element of the show's continuing momentum over the years: each time a Doctor regenerates they usher in a new tone and new direction for the show.

With so many actors having played the Time Lord over the years, it can be confusing remembering who played the Doc first.

So here's the full list of the Doctor Who actors in order, from the first-ever Doctor, William Hartnell, to the newest actor to step into the role:

Although Gatwa is technically the 14th long-term Doctor, he is being described as the 15th. This is because Tennant is now widely being seen as the 14th Doctor as well as the 10th, after having returned for a trio of anniversary specials.

Doctor Who season 14 will premiere at midnight on May 11 on BBC iPlayer and Disney+