In a recent interview with Elle UK, Sex Education and Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa confirmed his queer identity, and fans are gushing over his heartwarming story.

During the interview, Gatwa shared an impactful memory from Manchester Pride, saying: “I remember…going through the streets with all my boys, shaking my cha-chas, living it up when I saw this woman who looked exactly like my auntie.

“We were holding hands, and she said to me, ‘I don’t really know why I’m here. I’m just here.’ I told her, ‘Honey, you don’t need to know. You absolutely. Do not. Need. To. Know. You’re here. Be proud of who you are.’”

Gatwa said: “I had never met another queer Rwandan person before. I thought I was the only one in the world.”

It’s Ncuti Gatwa’s world and we’re just living in it pic.twitter.com/Ja6hxMRcKq

— Cooper Hillier ? (@CooperHillier) August 29, 2023

Although Ncuti Gatwa had not publicly discussed his identity before, many LGBTQ+ fans connected with his beloved Sex Education character, Eric Effiong, who radiates queer Black joy. In the interview, Gatwa talked about how playing that role deeply impacted him.

Describing the character, Gatwa said: “He’s so fierce and unashamed. It was healing for me, and great for people to see themselves represented. It taught me the importance of representation: it’s so powerful and necessary.”

Gatwa will continue to break down representation barriers as the first Black and gay Doctor in the Doctor Who series, a show that has been on air since 1963. When asked if casting him in this role felt like diversity box-ticking, the 30-year-old actor said: “What are you going to do, tell the same stories? Have the same people fronting things for all of eternity?”

The fourth and final season of Sex Education will begin streaming on Netflix on September 21, and the already queer cast will see the addition of Dan Levy playing a “cult author” who tutors Maeve at the prestigious Wallace University.

Doctor Who will return to the BBC in November.