Doctor Who Star Peter Capaldi Says He Doesn’t Know ‘Why People Take It So Seriously’

Former Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi has dismissed criticism of the show’s recent lead actors Jodie Whittaker and Ncuti Gatwa, and said he doesn’t know “why people take it so seriously.”

Capaldi’s tenure as the show’s time-travelling hero lasted from 2013 to 2017, when he handed the iconic role to Whittaker, the series’ first-ever female star. Gatwa later became the first Black actor to play the Doctor in a regular capacity, with his short stint ending last year.

Both Whittaker and Ncuti faced online hate simply for their casting, long before either actor actually appeared on screen. Recent years have also seen growing criticism of the series’ writing — with Gatwa’s most recent run, largely penned by current Doctor Who showrunner Russell T. Davies, attracting particular ire.

Now, The Times has put criticisms of Doctor Who’s “excessive wokeness” to Capaldi — who simply responded that he doesn’t understand why the series, a British cultural institution, continues to prompt such a strong response.

“It reflects its times and it’s a good thing in the world, though it’s become a bit too big, too important for the BBC or whoever,” Capaldi said, admitting he no longer keeps up with the show.

“When I was a kid and watched it, it was just a monster show in the corner of the room. I dunno why people take it so seriously.”

Production on a new series of Doctor Who is currently on hiatus, following the departure of Gatwa in reshot scenes, and Disney’s decision to end its co-funding deal for the series. The BBC has announced a one-off special episode that looks set to wrap up the show’s current cliffhanger, which is due to air at Christmas. After that, however, the series’ future remains uncertain.

It remains to be seen whether the Christmas episode will introduce a new, regular actor to play the Doctor, following the surprise appearance of returning star Billie Piper at the end of the series’ 2025 finale. Among fans, the expectation is that the episode will effectively wrap up the remaining story threads from Davies’ era, before the showrunner also exits, and Doctor Who is left to return at some point later in the future with a blank slate.

“It’s been back for 20 years, which is an awfully long time,” Doctor Who writer Mark Gatiss said last year. “Almost as long as its original run. That’s pretty spectacular. So maybe it’s time for another rest.”

Image credit: Carlo Paloni/BAFTA via Getty Images

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social