BBC bosses have addressed the backlash to last week’s episode after a conversation between Graham and The Doctor caused offence.
Jodie Whittaker and the gang were confronted by a pair of immortal beings who fed off of nightmares and had their sights set on Earth.
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While everyone’s favourite Time Lord managed to save the day, as usual, the encounter saw Ryan (Tosin Cole), Yasmin (Mandip Gill) and Graham (Bradley Walsh) plunged into some of their darkest memories.
We learned that Yas ran away as a teen after bullying at school drove her to serious depression, but an interaction with a local police officer gave her hope and set her on the path to join her local constabulary.
Meanwhile Ryan urged his best friend to open up to his mates after he shared his struggles with anxiety and insomnia, stressing the importance of communication and honesty.
Graham found himself locked in fear that his cancer would return, while also dealing the survivor’s guilt in the wake of late partner Grace’s death.
However, as he confided in The Doctor, he was met with an unsettling response.
She told him that she was “too socially awkward” to comfort him on the matter and loosely promised to take the matter up with him at some point in the future.
Considering the episode stressed on multiple occasions how important it was to have candid, open conversations about mental health, many viewers took issue with Graham’s plight being dismissed.
After a flurry of complaints, BBC bosses have issued a formal apology, insisting it was not their intention to send mixed messages.
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“We never set out to upset our viewers with what we show and this episode tackled some sensitive themes,” the statement issued to Radio Times began
“The episode used dreams and nightmares to explore the inner lives of the companions,” it continued.
“Thanks to Zellin’s nightmare powers, Ryan, Yaz, and Graham were forced to confront their worst fears, many of which relate to the way traveling with the Doctor has changed their lives.”
The BBC claimed that they were simply trying to show that difficult conversations can be troubling for both parties involved.
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“When Graham opened up to the Doctor about his fear of his cancer returning her response was never meant to be dismissive. The Doctor’s friend was scared, and we see her struggling to deal with the severity of the situation.
“The intention of the scene was to acknowledge how hard it can be to deal with conversations on this subject matter.
“When faced with these situations, people don’t always have the right words to say at the right time, and this can often lead to feelings of guilt.”
The apology comes after actress Mandip Gill opened up about being treated “as a liability” for being a Northern woman of Asian descent.
Doctor Who continues on Sunday at 7:10pm on BBC One and will be available to stream on iPlayer.
