One of Doctor Who’s most iconic directors has voiced his hopes for greater exploration of the Doctor’s sexuality in the upcoming season, emphasising that “queerness shapes you.”
The highly anticipated 15th series of Doctor Who—marketed as “season two” due to production changes and Disney+ securing international broadcasting rights—premieres on 12 April. Fans are eager to see if the latest instalment will build on the show’s growing queer representation.
Waris Hussein, the 86-year-old director of An Unearthly Child—the first-ever Doctor Who episode in 1963—shared his thoughts in Doctor Who Magazine, expressing curiosity about the direction showrunner Russell T Davies is taking with the character.
“I’m curious about Russell T’s thinking,” Hussein said. “Where’s he taking the character? What’s the mystery? If Russell T has made the Doctor queer, is there reference to it? There should be a curiosity among the people the Doctor meets.”
As a gay man himself, Hussein added: “There’s no point in saying, ‘Well, it doesn’t matter.’ It does. Queerness matters. Queerness shapes you. I’ve grown up with that mentality – I can’t get rid of it. So it must shape the Doctor. If he’s gay, let’s see it. But don’t lose the mystery.”
Hussein also reflected on whether lead actor Ncuti Gatwa carries an additional “burden of responsibility” as the first Black actor to portray the Doctor.
Gatwa on Fan Backlash and Support
Since taking over the role in December 2023, Gatwa has openly addressed the racist and homophobic backlash he faced. However, he has also praised the unwavering support from Doctor Who fans.
Speaking to Vanity Fair in November 2024, he acknowledged that this kind of negativity isn’t uncommon in sci-fi fandoms.
“I wouldn’t be the only Black lead that’s taken over a sci-fi franchise that would have received that sort of treatment,” he said. “Unfortunately, those are voices that exist in sci-fi fandoms – but they’re not the only voices.”
Gatwa highlighted the overwhelming positivity he’s received from fans, saying, “I just remember feeling a lot of warmth and love, being embraced into a big nerd family. When we’re shooting Doctor Who, there are fans outside the studio or on location every single time, be it at 4am, be it minus-12 degrees.
“I think that’s beautiful, what the show means to them, so I concentrate on that more than anything.”
Eurovision… in Space!
The upcoming season is set to feature an iconic, delightfully camp event—Eurovision, but in space!
The Doctor Who teaser trailer revealed that presenter and queer icon Rylan Clark will host the “Interstellar Song Contest,” a galactic twist on Eurovision. In the clip, Rylan takes to an enormous stadium stage with a feline companion, exclaiming:
“Welcome… to the Interstellar Song Contest!”
Dressed in a lavish red velvet suit with his signature slicked-back hair and perfectly groomed beard, the 32-year-old star is sure to deliver a memorable moment.
With an exciting mix of sci-fi adventure and queer representation, Doctor Who season two is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about seasons yet.
