Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa has blasted the Government’s failings and its "attacking" of minorities - saying politicians are "openly attacking marginalised communities".
The new Time Lord did not hold back on his thoughts about recent comments by MPs regarding trans issues and immigration.
Ncuti, 31, said: "Everything trickles down from the top, and when you see politicians openly attacking marginalised communities, when you see our politicians openly attacking trans people, it makes it OK for everyone else.
"And it is scary to see that we’ve got to a point where it is fine to attack vulnerable people because that’s essentially what’s happening. People who are the most vulnerable, the most disenfranchised, most disconnected from everyone else are being told that they are the threats. It’s sick because it’s a hiding away of your own ineptitude.
"You’re going to put the blame on immigrants, Black and Brown people, trans people, queer people, to hide the fact that you are not doing anything for people? It’s easier to just create discord amongst people. It’s divide and conquer, isn’t it?”
Queen honoured in London New Year's fireworks before turning into King CharlesPrime Minister Rishi Sunak faced calls to apologise for a jibe he made on Sir Keir Starmer's position on trans people in February. At Prime Minister's Questions, the PM laughed and ridiculed the Labour leader for U-turning on the "definition of a woman".
In December, the Conservative Party's deputy chair for women was accused of making transphobic remarks about one of her general election rivals. MP Rachel Maclean shared a post on X, formerly Twitter, that described transgender woman Melissa Poulton as "a man who wears a wig and calls himself a 'proud lesbian'."
In sharing it, Mrs Maclean also added a comment of her own, backing the writer. In an interview with Attitude magazine(PLS REF) ahead of a new series of Doctor Who next month, Ncuti also said he felt like the world needed Doctor Who more than ever at the moment.
He said: “The Doctor is constantly fighting for every life, even his villains. He shows mercy and compassion to all because he understands that there’s a need for everything, and that we need each other. It’s really nice to have a show like Doctor Who running after all these years in this era that we are in now.”
Former Sex Education star Ncuti made his debut as the Time Lord at Christmas but this year will see his series of episodes in the role, with more being filmed for 2025. He also addressed some of the shocking racist reactions to the Doctor being cast as a Black man.
He said: “It’s not something I’ll avidly keep up on. The hate? It is kind of fascinating to me because there’s so much energy they’re putting into it… I think they need to go find a hobby is one thing. But another thing is that we do see a shift happening in casting, in positions of power and in the status quo. I mean, not a fast shift, things could tip over the other way a little bit quicker, but you see people kind of malfunctioning because things are changing.”
Doctor Who was the most watched drama on Christmas Day 2023 as Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor took over the TARDIS in “The Church On Ruby Road.”
The Attitude May/June issue is out now.