http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-36442982


Kind of contradicting yourself there aren't you?


Re-writing history to add minorities and make it "better", what a load of PC balls, glad this muppet has left.

I was all geared up for it to be Paterson Joseph when MS got the gig, oh how I wish it had been him instead! next time maybe...................

Whereas rewriting history so that Reptilian lizards were responsible for the Great Fire Of London is just fine.

I don't buy the premise that it would have been better, all this country's greatest success came before there were any minorities living here, they joined for the decline.

How many World Cups has our modern multi-ethnic England team won?

I doubt Moffat believes all this nonsense either, he's just trying to win PC points and get another series on the BBC.

Wondered how long the press would pick up on this after the DWM interview! And Paterson sprung to mind as remember the rumours. I understand that for the ones who auditioned, Matt was the absolute stand out, so not sure whether Moffat is referring to the Eleventh or Twelth Doctor, tbh.

I like Paterson as an actor so never say never, but for me the idea of a Doctor Whoniverse (I went there, sorry) without Matt Smith doesn't bear thinking about, to paraphrase Ainley's Master!

Or do I mean, it's PC Gawn Mad! Leftie Pinko idiot Biased Broadcasting Commies with their SJW ideas about diversity n stuff! We've had Martha, that was enough, now we get Bill. Grrrrr. (Lesbian disabled comments optional...)

Etc

Wasn't Peter Capaldi always in-line to play the Doctor? I'm sure I've read in DWM that he was the only actor to audition for the role at Moffat's house.

I don't think Doctor when I see Paterson Joseph, surely someone like Richard Ayoade would be more appropriate if they were going to go black?

To be fair that whole interview is pure PC rubbish!

And to think I actually liked Press Gang and Joking Apart.

Imagine the uproar if he was a black character who they then decided was going to turn white.

I would like him to next be a Mongolian woman.

Was for the 11th doctor, quite a surprise when Matt Smith turned up, as it was assumed for months beforehand online that Paterson Joseph was who they wanted.

1) I think the only way you can see this as contradictory is by intentionally reading it how you like. Two non-white leads would be amazing in the sense that it shows the progress television has made, not forgetting one of the first roles a black man had in DW wasn't exactly on the nice side.
2) I'm honestly failing to see the problem there. Having a non-white companion can present difficulties when it comes to historical setting which can only be repeated so many times. Bearing in mind, in the Whoniverse, the Earth was pretty much created by a star-shaped spaceship, talking lizards walked before us, Cybermen killed the dinosaurs and Queen Victoria founded an institute to fight alien menaces after a shapeshifting hipster saved her from a werewolf.

When I see him in this, all I can about is how perfect he is for the role

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHpYWy89yVU

Well firstly, I think bringing it up at all is a bit unfair to whomever got the job at that time after it didn't work out with the black actor (i'm assuming it was the casting of the 11 doctor and therefore Matt Smith) as it it basically advertising the fact that he wasn't really who they wanted, and was just a second choice.

Secondly, I never agree with all this casting by race/gender/minority status nonsense in any form. When rumours were going around about Patterson Joseph as a potential choice, I thought he'd be a great choice, and I still think he'd potentially be a great choice in the future, but that's because he is a good actor (who I've seen do eccentric well in more than one show), and nothing to do with anything else.

That should be the only criteria when auditioning for the role - is this person a good actor, and good fit for the role?

I'd hate to think that in the future they might decide that they have to cast a black person before they'd even auditioned anyone, and then only chose from black people, meaning a white person who might be perfect for the role doesn't even get a shot, just as it would be terrible if they did that same thing the other way around.

If the show ends ends up with two black leads in future, or two white leads for the foreseeable future, or a mixture like with 10/Martha, then as long as they were chosen on merit and not because of any sort of race quotas/issues, then I don't think it matters what colour there skin is.

He is very good, isn't he. Very 'Doctor'. Still ony early Fifties. Over to you, Chibbers! (still want Peter C to carry on myself, have never been in a rush to say goodbye to a Doctor, but have a feeling we'll be seeing a new Doctor in 2018....or Xmas 2017.)

Diversity on TV does matter, and it matters a lot.

Doctor Who has done OK over the past 11 years in terms of presenting a more diverse cast - much better than many other shows. But I do think a non-white Doctor would be a good thing and a refreshing change.

An odd time, though, for Moffat to raise the issue. It does put the focus on Chibnall to hire someone non-white should there be a new Doctor for season 11. Perhaps he's in the know and laying the foundations . . .

they said it was in 2013 which was capaldis casting time.

So it does look like it wasnt true that nobody else was considered for the role of the 12th Doctor.

There is so much spin put on everything that its not surprising they they trip up on their own 'truths' from time to time.

Look up "amazing" in the dictionary, if it amazes then you do notice it therefore his statement is contradictory.


That's more playing with history than re-writing it to make it "better".

I think it would be amazing for many reasons, not least that classic Who ran for 26 years without a single non-white companion (never mind a non-white Doctor). The Doctor is also one of UK television's most iconic roles and it would be wonderful for a non-white actor to take the lead. I would say it is also becoming increasingly difficult to justify the status quo.

Ouch, you're nitpicky with his words, aren't you? He said that he himself would find it amazing, although other people may not notice.


There is literally no difference, only that one bothers you more than it really should.

As was said, diversity on TV matters, particularly when the show is based in a multicultural place as the UK is. The Doctor is supposed to be everybody's hero. Personally, it doesn't affect my enjoyment of television at all.

It always amuses me how, after 50 years of Doctor Who being "politically correct" it still bothers people as though they've only just realised.

I don't have a problem at all with casting a black (or other ethnic) Doctor, as long as they're good in the role (I don't want a female doctor though!).

However, with regard to the BIB, the BBC interview says that they specifically wanted the new companion to be non-white. That can't be right, can it? Again I've absolutely no problem with a black companion, Martha and Mickey were fine, but they shouldn't be publicly saying that - just imagine the uproar if for the next companion they say "we only considered white actors for the role"...

Can I just add that I would be happy with the Doctor being played by a black actor as long as its not Lenny Henry.

Reading that Hampstead dinner party nonsense from Moffatt though you can see why so many people have stopped watching, Sherlock was terrible as well after the third episode and as for Tintin, oh dear.

http://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-...for-Matt-Smith

I'd have guessed Chiwetel, he did that modern police drama and then the 30's set Jazz one for the Beeb around that time. Sadly for them (and us) his career then really took off.

So another name for the 'what if....' file, then. Don't think of it as a slight on Matt; they had plenty of people as possibles which didn't work out for various reasons before they went for a certain curly haired jobbing actor who was working as a labourer at the time. That worked out rather well too!