Doctor Who newcomer Indira Varma has defended the BBC sci-fi show's new look and its place in British TV history ahead of her debut in the upcoming episode, Rogue.
The latest in Russell T Davies's revamped adaptation transports viewers to 1813 in Regency England as Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor and Millie Gibson's Ruby hunt down new villain, Rogue (played by Jonathan Groff).
Gatwa made his debut in the TARDIS back on Christmas Day after taking over from the departing Jodie Whittaker - and a brief comeback from David Tennant - and along with showrunner Davies, the latest series is a marked change from seasons gone by.
Back in May when the latest regeneration of the Doctor hit screens, it's safe to say not everyone was enthused by Davies' adaptation as the series kicked off with a drag queen playing the antagonist, a pronoun debate between characters, and a seemingly unfitting musical number.
Several BBC viewers weren't impressed, hitting out at Doctor Who for going "woke" after the BBC had joined forces with Disney to produce the show, but Varma insists it hasn't dented her fondness for the "uniquely British" show.
Lauding the long-running series, she said ahead of her debut: "What's brilliant about Doctor Who is that it's so British, which makes it very special to me as a Brit.
"Even though I wasn't an avid watcher as a kid, I always feel like a fan, and I really appreciate the legacy. I love the fact that the Doctor regenerates."
Turning her attention to the showrunner specifically, she added to the Beeb: "I am also in awe of how Russell is taking the Whoniverse to a different level.
"I don't know how his mind works, but I feel like he lets his imagination run, and it's always with generosity and compassion for his characters, and for the viewers. There's something for everyone, and it's always done with joy."
Varma went on to compare it to some of her other on-screen projects, telling the corporation: "I have been part of some massive shows with a huge history, including Star Wars and Game of Thrones.
"But with Doctor Who, I think it stands on its own within the genre and it's uniquely British. I think that's really important.
"I feel really proud to be in a British show. I really love the way that the companion is written as one of the viewers, an ordinary person, and they get to go on all these adventures.
"They are the eyes and ears of the audience and I think that's brilliant," she said.
Varma will take on the role of The Duchess in Rogue, a "woman of society and is throwing an enormous party".
At said party, it sounds like things will soon go awry if the BBC's synopsis for the episode is anything to go by.
It reads: "Doctor Who season one episode Rogue sees the Doctor and Ruby land in 1813 where guests at the Duchess’s party are being murdered, and a mysterious bounty hunter called Rogue is about to change the Doctor’s life forever."
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Rogue marks the sixth instalment in the current season of Doctor Who, with just two more episodes to come to round of the series.
And fans needn't fear Gatwa is going anywhere as he's already been confirmed to return for another season alongside Gibson's Ruby Sunday and a new sidekick played by Varada Sethu.
The second season with Davies at the helm will premiere on the BBC and Disney+ across the globe in 2025.
