Capaldi refused to address claims that the show had gone 'woke', but said Doctor Who reflects its times and is a good thing in the world. He recalled that when he was a child, the show was just a monster show in the corner of the room, and he does not understand why people take it so seriously. According to Metro - Main, Capaldi described the show as having become a different thing and a victim of its success.
Both Jodie Whittaker and Ncuti Gatwa, the most recent Doctors, faced backlash. According to Metro - Main, Whittaker faced sexist backlash and was frequently compared to her male predecessors, while Gatwa's run was regularly criticized as being 'woke'. Gatwa was the first Black Doctor.
Whittaker argued that a woman should have played the Doctor earlier. According to The Independent - Main, she described taking the role as a no-brainer and said she did not want to be well known. Gatwa said the role was taking a toll on his body mentally and physically, but he would never say never to returning.