Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has hit back at internet dwellers who have dubbed the new series of the sci-fi series too “woke”.
Speaking to BBC Radio 2 earlier this week, gay TV writer Davies said he has “no time for” accusations of “wokeness” because he is simply reflecting “life” in his writing.
“Someone always brings up matters of diversity. And there are online warriors accusing us of diversity and wokeness and involving messages and issues and I have no time for this,” he said.
“I don’t have a second to bear [it]. Because what you might call diversity, I just call an open door.
“I don’t even know if it’s conscious,” he said of writing storylines and characters that bring diverse perspectives. “That’s life, and I think it’s the only way to write.”
In a message seemingly directed at the so-called “anti-woke” trolls, Davies shared: “Why limit yourself? Why breathe in the exhaust fumes? Why be toxic? Come over here where the life and light and air and sound is.”
Davies, who rejoined the Doctor Who writing team for last year’s 14th series, has had to bat away accusations of “wokeness” ever since stepping back into the helm.
Series 14 saw Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa become the first Black, out queer actor to take on the role of the Doctor, while series 14 also featured the Doctor’s first gay romance plot.
Both series 14 and the currently airing series 15 have included a host of queer stars, including two-time RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon and The Traitors host Alan Cumming.
The 60th anniversary episodes, which were also created by Davies and aired at the end of 2023, featured transgender Heartstopper actress Yasmin Finney in a plot that featured discussion around gender identity. The storyline garnered more than 100 complaints to broadcasting regulator Ofcom, which were rubbished by the BBC.
Yet, as many fans of the time-travelling series have stated, Doctor Who has always included radical LGBTQ+ representation.
Series 15 has introduced a new companion to join the Doctor on his travels through space and time, with Varada Sethu joining the cast as Belinda Chandra.
It marks the first time that both the Doctor and their companions have been people of colour.
Speaking to Radio Times about the online “anti-woke” trolls, Sethu said: “Ncuti was like, ‘Look at us. We get to be in the Tardis. We’re going to p**s off so many people.’
“There’s been a couple of Doctor Woke [references] or whatever, but I just think we’re doing the right thing if we’re getting comments like that,” Sethu continued.
The actress, who has also starred in Disney+ Star Wars series Andor, added: “Woke just means inclusive, progressive and that you care about people. And, as far as I know, the core of Doctor Who is kindness, love and doing the right thing.”
Earlier this year, The Sun incorrectly reported that Doctor Who was going to be axed due to low viewing figures and complaints over its increased diversity. The report was refuted by the BBC.
Davies has since said that he won’t be having conversations about the future of Doctor Who until the current series finishes airing.
Doctor Who series 15 will is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK. The show is also available to stream internationally on Disney+.
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