“In coming back, I wanted to make it simpler and I wanted to make it younger.”
There’s been a lot of discussion surrounding Doctor Who‘s ratings of late, which has particularly been borne out of the changes made to the show’s release and its production.
The series has seen an increased budget since the BBC’s deal with Disney Plus, while it has also switched release model, with episodes coming out first on iPlayer at midnight so it can be released simultaneously around the world.
Speaking at a BAFTA Q&A event called Russell T Davies – BAFTA: A Life in Pictures, showrunner Russell T Davies has now weighed in on the topic, revealing that the show has been rating well with the younger demographic.
He said: “In coming back, I wanted to make it simpler and I wanted to make it younger. Those two things are often not discussed – you read reactions to it and people are missing that.
“It’s simpler and younger – and it is working. The under-16s and the 16-34 audience as well is massive.
“It’s not doing that well in the ratings, but it is doing phenomenally well with the younger audience that we wanted.”
Davies also spoke about his journey into screenwriting, and whether he had wanted to work as a writer in the industry from a young age, explaining that his gateway into the world of TV was through Doctor Who.
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He said: “I had no concept of that as a child. The one thing that I did have was Doctor Who, actually – because […] you get told who the writers are, and who the script editors are, and what their jobs are.
“In 1973, there was a brilliant book published called The Making of Doctor Who that described the sets and the studios and the scripts and the script-editing… I was 10 years old and I was reading that, so Doctor Who itself makes you very literate.
“It’s why we’re all very keen now on Doctor Who to do behind-the-scenes stuff – Doctor Who: Unleashed and stuff like that – because it literally trains you and educates you.”
Davies has also previously spoken about the show’s LGBTQ+ representation in its current era, saying that he is “rather bemused when people say you’re representing things now, because I think that’s just people I live with, and know and love”.
He continued: “It’s very normal to me, I don’t know any other way to make things. And some people might come along and make a fuss about that. But I’ve moved on by then, so I don’t care.
“But I think it’s a great thing to see. I think Doctor Who’s a great big open door for everyone to come and see. Even if you’re straight as a nail, come and watch because there’s lots in this for you.”
Doctor Who continues on Saturday 15th June on BBC iPlayer and BBC One. Previous seasons are available to stream on BBC iPlayer with episodes of the classic series also available on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial here.
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