A transgender character who was introduced in a recent episode of Doctor Who was the target of complaints, which the BBC skillfully handled.
Heartstopper star Yasmin Finney made her television debut as Donna Noble's daughter Rose in the November 2023 episode titled "The Star Beast" which brought back David Tennant's Doctor and Catherine Tate's Donna Noble.
The episode, written by returning showrunner Russell T Davies, included two scenes: one depicting Rose being called names by bullies, and the other a candid talk about her transgender identity after she was misgendered.
While many viewers applauded the inclusion of these scenes, which were called "natural" and "educational", the BBC received 144 complaints about them.
The broadcast has since replied: “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.”
With over 7.6 million viewers of the show, the complaints were a very small percentage of the Doctor Who audience.
Rose, the teenage daughter of former Doctor Who companion Donna (Catherine Tate) and spouse Shaun (Karl Collins), is shown in the 2023 specials. In the series, her family is supportive of her transition, despite the prejudice she experiences in other areas of her life.
Addressing the critics, showrunner Russell T. Davies stated that certain critics "full of absolute hate, and venom, and destruction, and violence" would like to see "that sort of thing wiped off the screen entirely".
“Shame on you and good luck to you in your lonely lives,” Davies added.
The most recent Christmas episode of the show introduced viewers to Ncuti Gatwa's character, the 15th Doctor and the first Black person who identifies as gay to play the lead in the history of the franchise.
Finney will return as Rose in the upcoming season, which is scheduled to premiere in May.
