Black Doctor Who fans on defying racist trolls and Ncuti Gatwa's debut
Doctor Who fans share their hopes and fears for Ncuti Gatwa’s new season (Picture: James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)
As Ncuti Gatwa takes up the mantle as the Fiteenth Doctor in iconic British sci-fi series Doctor Who, Black British fans reflect on ushering in a new era.
In May 2022, Sex Education’s breakout star Ncuti carved himself into the nation’s history books as he became the first Black actor to take over the role of the Doctor full time.
Since first airing in 1963, the time-travelling alien has become just as synonymous with British society as James Bond and afternoon tea. Over it’s wide-spanning history 14 different actors, all white and majority male, have stepped into the Doctor’s timey-wimey shoes.
Now, Rwandan-Scottish screenstar Ncuti is shaking things up.
When returning showrunner Russell T Davies rebooted the show in 2005, old and new fans alike gathered to create a dedicated super fandom which has ensured the show’s popularity over the past 20 years.
Despite an overwhelmingly positive response to Ncuti’s casting (following in the footsteps of the Fugitive Doctor Jo Martin), certain portions of the British public fell to nasty trolling with the social media tag #RIPDoctorWho.
Ncuti makes history as the Doctor opposite Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday (Picture: BBC Studios/Bad Wolf/James Pardon)
Their main gripe? That the identity of this gender-fluid, fictional Time Lord had to be a white man and the show had been corrupted by modern day woke-ism.
‘I remember being ecstatic at Ncuti’s casting but in a very tranquil kind of way. It was just a real “well duh” moment,’ longtime Doctor Who fan Chris Markham, 24, tells Metro.co.uk in sharp defiance to any hate.
‘If Jodie Whittaker’s casting [the first female actor to play the Doctor] had opened up the door, then Jo Martin’s had firmly wedged her foot into it. There was no closing it now. It was time.’
It was a similar sense of euphoria for British Ghanaian-Kittian fan Jenna, 21, who remembered the day distinctly.
Ncuti had his first adventure as the Doctor during the 2023 Christmas Special (Picture: James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios 2023)
‘I was yelling! Everyone was excited. UK, America, African countries, it was Black fans across the globe and I’ve never seen anything like this happen in the fandom ever.
And for some fans, such as Somalian woman Nawal, 23, she didn’t underestimate just how important this news was for her community.
‘I imagined how my little brothers could now watch someone like them on screen, someone they could aspire to be—a doctor saving the universe. Representation matters profoundly,’ she reflected.
Despite the jubilation, many fans were hyper aware of the vitriol flung in fandom spaces and directly to Ncuti himself.
For Chris it was about time there was a Black Doctor (Picture: Chris Markham)
Nawal blocked right-wing fan accounts ranting about wokeness and was even forced to defend herself from so-called ‘progressive’ fans who felt Ncuti was a step back in representation from Jodie’s female Doctor.
‘It’s jarring because I remember how in 2017 it was very much ‘but this is a big moment for women! We’ll get a POC doctor later!’ and now he’s here it’s not good enough?’
‘Fandom spaces can be very divisive places at the best of times.’ This is something well-known Whovian cosplayer Dominic Martin, 29, knows all too well. Although he tries to maintain a positive online sphere, trolls inevitably creep through.
‘There is unfortunately a part of fandom which has been irrefutably racist towards Ncuti and any diverse figures that have worked on the show,’ he acknowledged.
‘But I don’t wish to dwell on those, as they are in no way representative of the ethos of the show.’
Dominic has been gripped by the sci-fi series since 2005 (Picture: Dominic Martin)
In fact the ethos of the series has long been forward-looking and diverse, featuring companions such as Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) and lesbian iconBill Potts (Pearl Mackie).
Their legacies have resonated with Black fans throughout the years. Not least for 24-year-old fan David Chipakupaku who has been watching the series since he was 11 and felt ‘pure and utter joy’ at Ncuti’s casting.
Although David reminsiced on a time when he was heckled by a racist while performing as Martha at a Doctor Who cabaret, his positive experience of the series far outweigh it.
‘A companion to the incomparable 12th Doctor (Peter Capaldi), Bill [Potts] was a lighter skinned Black/mixed woman, with a smart dress sense, and a whole lot of warmth.
‘She was also the first out, lesbian companion to travel full-time with the Doctor.
David has loved many of the characters and plots the show has brought forth (Picture: David Chipakupaku)
‘At a time where I felt so scared about who I was, what I was, there was something magical about seeing this woman who looked a bit like me live her best life with her friend and mentor, a man who never judged her.’
For David, showrunners Russell, Steven Moffat and Chris Chibnall ‘haven’t boxed Black companions into a corner of stereotypes’, but instead given them rich backgrounds and plotlines.
‘What I love is how the characters each brought something fresh,’ Jenna echoed.
‘Martha was the quick-thinking doctor, Bill was the friendly, curious canteen worker and Fugitive was the doctor that ran away from a secret organization.’
Another episode which has been praised by fans was Malorie Blackman’s season 11 episode Rosa, which featured the titular civil rights activist in 1960s America.
‘While references to Rosa Parks are often found in books and stories, witnessing her pivotal moment in a Doctor Who episode was truly powerful’ Nawal shared.
Through the time-travelling journeys of various companions Martha, Bill and Ryan (Tosin Cole) to the past, the series has grown more and more bold in addressing historic racism.
But the show doesn’t always get it right.
Jenna has created beautiful Ncuti Gatwa inspired fanart (Picture: Jenna)
Jenna pointed to the awkward moment during the 60th anniversary bigeneration when companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) asked if the Doctor ‘came in a range of colours’. A line which did not go down well with everyone.
‘This was what they genuinely thought was the best way to introduce Fifteen’s race…?’ Jenna asked.
‘There’s also no Black writers for series 14/season 1 so I’m not as hopeful as I want to be. I want to be optimistic but if there’s more ‘yikes’ moments like that in the first season I won’t be surprised unfortunately.’
‘This lack of diverse writing talent does make it disappointing – there was a chance to do a second Rosa, and really drive home another new classic,’ David echoed.
The upcoming series features no writers of colour, although this is set to change for Ncuti’s sophmore season according to Russell.
‘As much as I trust Russell T Davies with ensuring we get good representation, I’d rather we didn’t have to wait another year,’ he continued.
David believes they can go further still.
Martha made her mark as the first Black companion on the series, paving the way for many more (Picture: BBC)
‘We’re not in the era of yellowface maniacal villains and blacked up grunts, but there’s an occasional wobbliness that still exists.’ David explained.
‘[There is] a fear that being real and honest about the social history of Black people in white-majority nations will scare off viewers. Let’s not patronise families – let’s, instead, cause conversations.’
For many, the first point of improvement is honing in on Black British history, something not fully explored in the show yet.
‘We had our own Civil Rights Movement but how many people talk about Darcus Howe or the Mangrove Nine?,’ Chris noted. ‘There’s also such a beautiful tapestry of myth weaves its way across the African diaspora.’
‘Ncuti has gone on record to say he’s love to meet the Orisha from African mythology. I’d love for him to meet Anansi the Spider [a famed mytholigical figure]’.
Nawal has been a fan of the show since she was 7 years old (Picture: Nawal Abdisamad)
While Nawal offered a plethora of scenarios she would love Ncuti to stumble upon from tracking down Bigfoot to watching the origin of tribal civilization in Africa.
But none of this can be authentically achieved without more diversity in the writers’ room, an area all the fans note is hugely lacking right now.
‘I always believe that more voices from all corners of the world putting their unique mark on Who can only be a good thing,’ Dominic shared.
‘The first Black Doctor needs people at the keyboard who can actually understand and relate firsthand,’ Chris reiterated.
Despite its teething issues, ultimately fans are overjoyed to see Ncuti celebrated on the small screen and change the face of diversity in the British TV industry for future generations.
From the long term hopes, as put by Nawal: ‘I hope this inspires more black individuals to believe that they, too, can one day portray the Doctor—it’s entirely within reach.’
To the shorter term dreams.
‘I think my main hope for the new series is that it carries on that escapist vibe that can be so beloved about the show.
‘Personally I have full faith that Ncuti will be brilliant, along with Millie Gibson [companion Ruby Sunday]- their chemistry will be fantastic!’ Dominic concluded.
Doctor Who returns on Saturday May 11 to BBC One and is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
Are you a Soaps fan? For exclusive spoilers and interviews, sign up to Metro’s Soaps newsletter