In a recent episode of the long-running sci-fi series Doctor Who, the BBC faced and subsequently dismissed complaints regarding a same-sex Doctor Who kiss between characters played by Ncuti Gatwa and Jonathan Groff.
BBC Rejects Complaints About the Same-Sex Doctor Who Kiss Being “Unsuitable for Children”
The episode, titled “Rogue,” featured a romantic storyline set in a Regency-era setting reminiscent of the popular series Bridgerton.
Doctor Who’s Ncuti Gatwa kisses Jonathan Groff in milestone gay moment. pic.twitter.com/lVzJwlv8Ss
— PinkNews (@PinkNews) June 10, 2024
The episode saw The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and a bounty hunter named Rogue (Jonathan Groff) sharing a passionate kiss during a climactic moment. This kiss, which was part of a plot to trap a murderous alien, marked the first explicitly romantic same-sex kiss involving The Doctor in the show’s history.
The BBC received at least 150 complaints about the episode, with viewers citing “inappropriate sexual innuendo” and concerns about the rapid development of the romantic relationship between The Doctor and Rogue.
Some viewers felt that the content was unsuitable for children and questioned the necessity of the kiss within the storyline.
The BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit (ECU) reviewed the complaints and decided not to uphold them. The ECU stated that the sexual innuendo was mild and likely to go over the heads of younger viewers.
They also noted that the rapid development of the relationship was necessary for the episode’s fast-paced plot.
In their statement, the ECU emphasized that the relationship served the needs of the story and was unlikely to be seen as a model for real-life relationships.
They highlighted that the kiss was in line with the show’s tradition of exploring diverse relationships and breaking new ground in representation.
While this kiss is a significant milestone, it is not the first same-sex Doctor Who kiss. In 2005, Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) briefly kissed The Doctor (then played by Christopher Eccleston), though it lacked the romantic context of the recent episode. Additionally, Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor had an implied romantic connection with her female companion Yaz (Mandip Gill), but their feelings were never explicitly acted upon.
