MORE than half of Brits who used to watch Doctor Who say they turned off because it had become “woke, boring rubbish”.
That is the result of an independent survey conducted as star Ncuti Gatwa exited the Tardis with a paltry 2.3 million viewers on Saturday.
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In a shock twist, he appeared to regenerate into the Doctor’s former companion Rose Tyler, played by Billie Piper — but many are not convinced she is the Time Lord’s 16th incarnation.
The Sun exclusively revealed last month that Ncuti, 32, would be leaving the role after two series — the shortest tenure of any actor in the role since Christopher Eccleston, who left the rebooted BBC show after one series in 2005.
The survey quizzed 2,135 adults and found 42 per cent of current and former viewers said it had got worse since its relaunch two decades ago, with stories increasingly preachy and worthy.
Even one in three current viewers think it has got worse.
Plotlines over the past three years have featured trans heroines, non-binary baddies and drag-queen villains — and the Doctor coming out as gay, and crying in most episodes.
James Johnson of pollsters JL Partners said: “This is the first ever major poll done on attitudes to Doctor Who and the results are bleak.
“The public believe a once-great show has lost its way — and their biggest complaint is it puts pursuit of wokeness above entertainment value.
“The main words associated with it are rubbish, boring, and woke.
“If the BBC want to grow the show’s audience once more, they will need a total revamp.
“And to get back to telling entertaining stories rather than preaching lessons that simply do not have an audience among the British public.”
The poll found 46 per cent of current viewers think it puts social justice and woke issues above quality, compared with 37 per cent who believe the show puts quality first.
Those who have stopped watching say it puts social justice and woke issues first by a ratio of three to one.
The average age of current viewers is 42, compared with 51 for ex-fans.
They are also heavily Labour voters compared to a more politically diverse former audience.
The wokery ratcheted up after Doctor Who was taken over for a second time by showrunner Russell T Davies in 2023.
He was the man who rebooted the show in 2005 with Eccleston, followed by David Tennant.
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Who has starred in Doctor Who?
Which actors have portrayed the famous Time Lord over the years?
- First Doctor: William Hartnell (1963 – 1966)
- Second Doctor: Patrick Troughton (1966 – 1969)
- Third Doctor: Jon Pertwee (1970 – 1974)
- Fourth Doctor: Tom Baker (1974 – 1981)
- Fifth Doctor: Peter Davidson (1982 – 1984)
- Sixth Doctor: Colin Baker (1984 – 1986)
- Seventh Doctor: Sylvester McCoy (1987 – 1989)
- Eighth Doctor: Paul McGann (1996)
- Ninth Doctor: Christopher Eccleston (2005)
- Tenth Doctor: David Tennant (2005 – 2010)
- 11th Doctor: Matt Smith (2010 – 2013)
- 12th Doctor: Peter Capaldi (2014 – 2017)
- 13th Doctor: Jodie Whittaker (2018 – 2022)
- 14th Doctor: David Tennant (2023)
- 15th Doctor: Ncuti Gatwa (2023 – present)
A respectable 5.1 million tuned in to see his “comeback episode” with David returning to play the Doctor for a second time in 2023.
The actor then handed over to Ncuti who had his first full series as the Fifteenth Doctor last year.
One Whovian writing on X/Twitter, said: “Thanks to RTD (Russell T Davies) Ncuti is tainted and ‘15’ will be remembered as the worst Doctor with the worst era in the history of Doctor Who.”
The Sun revealed BBC bosses were considering a hiatus for the show, though execs maintained they would not make a decision until the second series had aired.
Russell T Davies teased a return on Saturday, saying: “After 62 years, the Doctor’s adventures are only just beginning!”
But that seems optimistic given their current multimillion-pound deal partnership with Disney+ is facing an uncertain future — and the viewing figures for one episode of the last series fell as low as 1.6 million.
A spokeswoman for Doctor Who said: “Doctor Who remains one of the biggest dramas on the BBC and is the most watched drama for under-35s, as well as being one of the most popular brands on BBC iPlayer.
“As we have previously stated, a decision on any future deal between the BBC and Disney+ regarding Doctor Who is yet to be made and any other claims are pure speculation.”
WARNING: ALIENS AHEAD
A THEATRE adaptation of sci-fi novel The War of the Worlds has been slapped with a woke warning — as it features Martians.
The alien invaders, who try to destroy humanity in H.G. Wells’ 1895 book, have been included in a list of potential triggers.
The 3D immersive experience at central London’s Hallmark Building also has warnings about violence.
A spokeswoman said: “The notices ensure transparency and inclusion.”
But ex-Tory minister Sir Alec Shelbrooke said last night: “They clearly think the public is stupid.”
7 Hints that Billie’s no true Doc
BILLIE Piper’s arrival on Saturday as Ncuti Gatwa left was seen as a sign the show would continue.
Known for playing past companion Rose Tyler, Billie appeared to debut as the 16th Doctor.
But Whovians think she may not be the true Time Lord, meaning a big question mark hangs over the troubled show’s future.
TV Editor Rod McPhee looks at seven clues:
- NOT CREDITED AS THE DOCTOR: Every new Time Lord has been introduced as the Doctor in the end credits. In Saturday’s episode, hers simply read: “introducing Billie Piper”.
- RUSSELL T. DAVIES WON’T EVEN SAY: After the twist, Doctor Who’s own showrunner said of Billie’s return: “Quite how and why and who is a story yet to be told.”
- BILLIE HINTED SHE’S STILL ROSE: Just after her return, Billie posted on Instagram a picture of herself holding a rose with the caption: “A rose is a rose is a rose.”
- TENNANT’S RETURN WAS CLEARER: When Jodie Whittaker regenerated into David Tennant in a similar twist, execs immediately confirmed he was the Doctor.
- ROSE IS LINKED TO THE TARDIS: Ncuti tapped into the Tardis before regenerating. Fans reckon it caused Rose to return, since she held the power of the Tardis in 2005.
- SHE STILL SEEMS TO BE REGENERATING: Billie is still glowing when the episode ends, suggesting the transformation is incomplete and the true Doctor is yet to emerge.
- THE BBC DON’T CALL HER THE DOCTOR: The corporation avoids calling her the Doctor in a news item released soon after the episode.