BBC Doctor Who's Ncuti Gatwa hits out at trolls over homophobic abuse
The new Doctor Who series will get a little help from The Beatles in a bold look at the Sixties.
Ncuti Gatwa as the Time Lord and Millie Gibson, who plays his sidekick, Ruby Tuesday, go all out in the costumes to capture the era in the new series next month.
Speaking in FX magazine, showrunner Russell T Davies said: “The Beatles were an important part of it. That was fun casting them, the chance to cast Paul and John and Ringo and George was amazing. And they’re a lovely bunch of lads. And it visually shows what we’re doing. We’ve seen the photos of these two [Ncuti and Millie] in the 1960s.
“What an image, what extraordinary work. It says a lot about our intent. big, bold. We’re not sneaking into the 1960s we’re arriving big time. It’s gorgeous.” Millie said: “When I was younger, my favourite episodes were when the doctor and companion went back in time because I’m always like, ‘Oh, what’s the companion going to wear?’ Or ‘Who are they going to talk to?
“What are Ruby and the Doctor going to be like with the Beatles? You’d be fangirling!” Last night the cast and crew were amongst the guests for the London premiere of the first two episodes of the new season. Called Space Babies and The Devil’s Chord, they will be available next month on BBC and Disney+.
The new Time Lord is also set to show his softer side, as a nod to how many children who will be watching now suffer mental health issues. Davies added: “A doctor of old is someone who would be a little bit aloof. Then by chance I cast the man who couldn’t hide his emotion if he tried.
“The one thing I keep seeing now is the fragility of the mental health of young people. So that’s the hero I wanted for them. If that younger audience is feeling so much, I wanted the doctor to feel it on screen as well.” Former Sex Education actor Ncuti, 31, landed the role against the odds as bosses already thought they had found their lead.
Openly gay Ncuti also used his interview with Variety to hit back at the criticism around him getting the role. He said: “I feel like anyone that has a problem with someone who’s not a straight white man playing this character, you’re not really, truly a fan of the show. You’ve not been watching! “Because the show is about regeneration and the doctor is an alien. Why would they only choose to be this sort of person?”
On the subject of sexuality, Davies added he wants the show to open people’s minds. He said: “Whether you’re 12 years old, just beginning to work out who you are, 62 years old, and you’ve never been who you are, or 61 years old, like I am and beginning to worry about where we are in society, there is a hero out there cutting his way through the universe, looking damn good in his suits and doing it with a laugh and a smile.”
- Doctor Who returns to BBC1 and BBC iPlayer on May 11.
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