The BBC has issued a strong statement against complaints surrounding Doctor Who’s gay romance between Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor and Jonathan Groff’s Rogue. The Doctor Who season 14 episode “Rogue” saw Groff take on the role of an intergalactic bounty hunter on the trail of aliens causing chaos in Regency-era England. Upon crossing paths with the Fifteenth Doctor, their relationship is initially frayed and tense thanks to a case of mistaken identity, but quickly blossoms into something more intimate before it results in tragedy for the Time Lord.
Deadline reports that the BBC has issued an official response to complaints made about the Doctor’s romance with Rogue. While two viewers issued carefully worded complaints about the episode that took issue with certain dialogue and the pace of the relationship in front of young viewers, the BBC dismissed each as not inappropriate for any audience members, no matter their age. Check out the BBC’s statements below:
“The ECU considered the sexual innuendo to be towards the mildest end of the spectrum and in any case likely to go over the heads of children. The development of the relationship served the needs of a fast-moving plot and was unlikely to strike viewers of any age as a model for interpersonal relationships outside this particular fictional context.”
Doctor Who Is Showing A Better Example Of How To Handle Toxic Fandom
The BBC’s Defense Is A Welcome Statement Against Online Harassment Campaigns
Like many other popular shows, Doctor Who has often found itself the subject of toxic online vitriol in recent years, as right-wing voices and others have taken aim at the show for having progressive values. While this backlash was most notably present during showrunner Chris Chibnall’s tenure during the Thirteenth Doctor era, it has even carried over as Russell T Davies took back over as the head creative. However, neither the cast nor the crew have allowed themselves to be intimidated by the vocal minority.
While larger, more prominent companies would rather remain quiet or offer minimal support for their cast and crew, the BBC’s stance is a welcome sight, even if the broadcaster itself isn’t immune to scrutiny.
Alongside the recent example with Rogue, the BBC issued a statement in January defending the inclusion of Rose Noble, a transgender woman played by Heartstopper’s Yasmin Finney, after she became the subject of scrutiny by tabloid reporting and right-wing pundits. Furthermore, Davies, who has always been vocal about the fight for diversity and equal rights, had previously addressed the importance of her character, directly calling out the toxic commentary. As such, both the BBC and the crew have stood by their work on Doctor Who and defended the cast.
Despite the issue of toxic fandom receiving wider recognition and discussion, it is still a prominent part of online fandom, as seen with the harassment campaigns surrounding The Acolyte even in the wake of its sudden cancelation. While larger, more prominent companies would rather remain quiet or offer minimal support for their cast and crew, the BBC’s stance is a welcome sight, even if the broadcaster itself isn’t immune to scrutiny. As such, it is clear those behind Doctor Who will continue to stand up for a welcoming world for everyone and stick to its core values.