This was the year in which it was nearly impossible to avoid Ncuti Gatwa, whether in a certain sci-fi series on the small screen, in classic stage parts or serving gorgeous looks on red carpets. Having built up a fanbase for eye-catching roles (on television in four series of Sex Education and in the Barbie movie), the Rwandan-Scottish actor made the leap onto the A-list with his casting as the legendary Time Lord. Gatwa brought an endearing boyish energy, empathy and vulnerability to the role, not to mention a touching chemistry with co-star Millie Gibson and establishing a promising partnership with returning showrunner Russell T Davies.

As if making such an iconic role his own were not achievement enough, Gatwa also squeezed in an appearance in the Steven Spielberg/Tom Hanks-produced World War II miniseries Masters Of The Air. Having cut his teeth as an actor on the graduate programme at Dundee Rep a decade ago, he’s currently treading the National Theatre’s boards as Algernon Moncrieff in Oscar Wilde’s The Importance Of Being Earnest.

Find out who hit the fourth spot on our list. 
Look at the sixth spot on our list. 

Main picture: Yoshitaka Kono/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios.