The BBC issues a response to a small number of complaints that it received surrounding Yasmin Finney’s Rose Noble in Doctor Who‘s first 60th-anniversary special, affirming their support for the series’ core, open, and inclusive values. The Heartstopper star made her series debut in “The Star Beast” as the daughter of Catherine Tate’s former companion, Donna Noble. Finney is confirmed to return in future Doctor Who stories, with trailers for 2024’s season 14 revealing Rose will meet Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor.
Following the BBC receiving 144 complaints regarding Doctor Who‘s Rose Noble in December, the corporation has issued an official response in a statement that affirms its support for the character. As reported by Deadline, the BBC’s statement saw the company affirm its commitment to continuing the sci-fi series’ inclusive core values that celebrate a diverse world and accurately represent a wide-open community. Check out the BBC’s full statement below:
As regular viewers of Doctor Who will be aware, the show has and will always continue to proudly celebrate diversity and reflect the world we live in. We are always mindful of the content within our episodes.
Russell T Davies’ New Doctor Who Era Will Continue The Show’s Core Inclusive Values
Davies is far from unfamiliar with receiving complaints about his work, with the returning showrunner having faced backlash for works predating his 2005 Doctor Who revival. Upon the release of his 1999 drama Queer as Folk, the series received criticism from the LGBTQ+ community over the decision to avoid portraying the HIV/AIDS crisis, but also was targeted by right-wing commentators and tabloid outlets that called for censorship. Nevertheless, Davies has proven to be willing to stand up against bigoted voices during Queer as Folk‘s release and his subsequent works, becoming a vocal supporter of opening up the medium of television for more diverse stories from a variety of creators.
This can be seen with his Doctor Who return, as amid David Tennant’s return and comic villain debuts, “The Star Beast” took the time to explore Rose’s life as a trans girl, with Finney offering her input into the character’s portrayal. Davies’ era has also featured a diverse cast, as alongside Finney and Gatwa, the series also cast Mary Malone as companion Ruby Sunday’s (Millie Gibson) friend and bandmate Trudy, while Jinkx Monsoon and Jonathan Groff will play major roles in Doctor Who season 14. The Doctor’s journeys have shown a hopeful glimpse at what the best of humanity can offer, using this opportunity to promote the message of a welcoming, open universe where anyone can be a hero, and so far Davies’ current showrunning tenure has remained dedicated to keeping those values at the series’ core.
The casting of Finney in Doctor Who has been a welcome addition to the series, leading to excitement about her return alongside Gatwa in future adventures. Despite this, a vocal minority of toxic fans and media personalities didn’t hesitate to turn their attention to the character through bigoted remarks towards the cast and crew. As such, the BBC’s response is a welcome sign that the series will remain faithful to the values that have empowered audiences and created a welcoming environment for fans for generations, proving that the TARDIS is welcome to all for many years to come.
Doctor Who
Originally premiered in 1963, Doctor Who is a sci-fi series that follows a powerful being known as a Time Lord, referred to as the Doctor. Using an interdimensional time-traveling ship known as the TARDIS, the Doctor travels time and space with various companions as they solve multiple problems and help avert catastrophe as much as they almost cause it. Though the Doctor is always the same character, they experience regenerations, allowing them to be recast every few seasons as a unique immortal being with new personality traits.
- Release Date
- November 23, 1963
- Cast
- Jenna Coleman , Jodie Whittaker , Alex Kingston , David Tennant , Matt Smith , Peter Capaldi
- Genres
- Adventure , Mystery , Sci-Fi
- Seasons
- 26
- Franchise
- Doctor Who
- Story By
- Sydney Newman C. E. Webber Donald Wilson
- Writers
- Mark Gatiss , Toby Whithouse , Neil Cross , Steven Moffat , Chris Chibnall
- Network
- BBC
