The BBC has dismissed complaints from Doctor Who viewers who felt it was “inappropriate” to include Yasmin Finney’s trans character Rose.
Disgruntled viewers sent 144 messages to the British broadcaster about Heartstopper star Finney’s appearance in The Star Beast special, with some claiming it was “anti-male.”
The BBC stated in an update on its complaints response service that “As regular viewers of Doctor Who will be aware, the show has and will always continue to happily embrace diversity and reflect the world we live in. We never lose sight of the information in our episodes.”
More than 7.6 million people watched the Star Beast special last month, so the complainants only made up a small portion of the audience. The BBC frequently receives complaints about transgender stories or representation.
In the 2023 series, Finney plays Shaun and Donna’s child. Although her community supports her transition, writer Russell T Davies portrays her as still adjusting to her pronouns.
Throughout The Star Beast, Donna, played by Catherine Tate, tells her mother, “You have a daughter. You say, ‘Nice, I’ve got it, that’s me.’ When she becomes this incredibly beautiful adult, you think, ‘Where the devil did she come from? How lucky am I?'”
Last November, Davies was clear about his desire to portray more of society on screen during a media event. He lamented how transgender representation can be denigrated in the media, claiming that “there are newspapers that are filled with poison, hatred, and violence that would prefer to see that kind of thing removed from the screen. Shame on you, and good luck to you in your sad life!”
