'Doctor Who' star defends show against woke backlash

Varada Sethu, the new wingman of Doctor Who, has defended the series against claims that the series has gone “woke.”

Sethu noted that the term simply means that the show is being inclusive and kind, which is the core of Doctor Who.

“There’s been a couple of Doctor Woke [references] or whatever, but I just think we’re doing the right thing if we’re getting comments like that,” Sethu told Radio Times in a new interview.

“Woke just means inclusive, progressive, and that you care about people. And, as far as I know, the core of Doctor Who is kindness, love, and doing the right thing,” she argued.

Sethu and Gatwa’s pairing means that two people of color will pilot the TARDIS for the first time in Doctor Who’s history

She also shared lead star Ncuti Gatwa’s reaction when he realized their pairing meant two people of color would man the TARDIS for the first time.

“Ncuti was like, ‘Look at us. We get to be in the Tardis. We’re going to piss off so many people’,” she shared.

“We really are equals in the way that we interact with each other. Russell [T Davies] wanted someone who can push back and not be in awe of this all-powerful being,” she noted.