Peter Capaldi, who played the Twelfth Doctor in Doctor Who from 2013 to 2017, recently told The Times of London that he doesn’t understand why some people take the show “so seriously” when asked about the backlash over the casting of Jodie Whittaker and Ncuti Gatwa. Whittaker was the first woman to play the Doctor, and Gatwa was the first openly queer black actor to play the role.
“It’s a reflection of the times and it’s a good thing in the world, but it’s gotten a little too big and important for the likes of the BBC,” Capaldi said. “When I was watching it as a kid, it was just a monster show in the corner of the room. I don’t know why people take this so seriously.”
Gatwa, who starred in the latest season of Doctor Who, was met with racist and homophobic backlash online when his role was revealed. Showrunner and writer Russell T. Davies said in a recent masterclass at Series Mania that in the age of social media it’s easy to fall into the trap of “talking about fans and assuming that means online voices.”
“I think they’re different. I know they’re different, I absolutely know that,” Davis said. “And that hostile online voice exists on X, which is a hate site. We shouldn’t be surprised that hate exists there, because it’s a hate site…It’s very dangerous to assume that it’s the voice of a fan.”
Mr Davies added that while he understood that long-time Doctor Who fans “don’t have to love the show”, they should respectfully “dissent and have a good time”.
“Fandom is creative and wonderful and fun, but everything is going bad,” he added. “If you’re under 16, please turn off your cell phone and throw it in the trash. I’m literally an evangelical.”
Disney+ ended its partnership with the BBC in October 2025 after co-producing two seasons of Doctor Who with the BBC. In the latest season finale, Gatois left the series to be replaced by Billie Piper, who played sidekick Rose Tyler during David Tennant’s run in the early 2000s. It has not been revealed whether Piper will become the next Doctor or return as a companion.
