The overnight ratings are in for Ncuti Gatwa’s debut as the Doctor in The BBC’s Christmas day special and they are not good.
Ncuti Gatwa as the 15th Doctor in Doctor Who Christmas Special “The Church on Ruby Road” (2023), BBC
The BBC reports, the Doctor Who special “The Church on Ruby Road” only saw viewership at 4.7 million. This is just marginally better than the final 60th anniversary special that saw Gatwa take over as the Doctor in “The Giggle.” That episode had viewership of 4.62 million.
The other two previous 60th Anniversary specials featuring David Tennant as the Doctor saw viewership at 5.08 million and 4.83 million.
David Tennant as the 14th Doctor in Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Special “The Giggle” (2023), BBC
In fact, Gatwa’s debut ratings as the Doctor are some of the worst in the entire show’s history. Jodie Whittaker’s debut episode “The Woman Who Fell to Earth” had overall viewership of 10.96 million.
Peter Capaldi’s debut as the 12th Doctor in “Deep Breath” saw viewership at 9.17 million back in 2014. Matt Smith’s debut in “The Eleventh Hour” in 2010 saw viewership hit 10.08 million. Tennant’s 10th Doctor appeared at the end of “The Parting of the Ways” back in 2005 and had viewership totaling 6.91 million. His first episode by himself, “The Christmas Invasion” hit 9.84 million viewers.
Christopher Eccleston’s 9th Doctor premiere in “Rose” in 2005 saw viewership hit 10.81 million.
A goblin n Doctor Who Christmas Special “The Church on Ruby Road” (2023), BBC
Looking even further back, Paul McGann’s 8th Doctor, who appeared in “The TV Movie” had viewership hit 9.08 million in 1996.
In 1987, Sylvester McCoy’s debut “Time and the Rani: Part One” saw viewership hit 5.1 million.
Colin Baker’s debut in “The Caves of Andronzani: Part Four” had viewership of 7.8 million. However, his first debut by himself was in “The Twin Dilemma: Part One.” That episode’s viewership was 7.6 million.
Peter Davison’s debut in “Castrovalva: Part One” in 1982 had viewership hit 9.10 million.
Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday in Doctor Who Christmas Special “The Church on Ruby Road” (2023), BBC
Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor debuted back in 1974 in “Robot: Part One” to the tune of 12.10 million.
Jon Pertwee’s Third Doctor debuted in “Spearhead from Space: Episode 1.” It’s viewership hit 8.4 million.
Patrick Troughton’s Second Doctor’s “The Power of the Daleks: Episode One” debuted in 1966 with 7.9 million viewers tuning in.
Finally, William Hartnell’s First Doctor debuted in “An Unearthly Child” back in 1963. It’s the only premiere that Gatwa’s Doctor beats. It premiered with 4.4 million viewers. However, Hartnell’s First Doctor would see viewership increase over the next 10 episodes. Initially, it increased to 5.9 million. In the third episode it went up to 6.9 million. By episode 7 it hit 8.9 million. With episode 8 it increased to 9.9 million. By episode 10 it hit 10.4 million.
Ncuti Gatwa as the 15th Doctor in Doctor Who Christmas Special “The Church on Ruby Road” (2023), BBC
The ratings for Gatwa’s The Doctor are only surprising in that more people haven’t tuned out due to the show making it abundantly clear it’s promoting a sinful, hedonistic, and degenerate message.
This was made abundantly clear in “The Star Beast” where it fully promoted evil transgenderism by not only featuring an actor suffering from a mental illness, but attempting to normalize the illness. Not only did the show attempt to normalize the illness, but it also attempted to normalize the ideology by having Tennant’s 15th Doctor immediately apologize to the mentally ill character for not using the proper pronouns when referring to an alien called the Meep.
This degeneracy was continued in the most recent episode as it featured a man dressed up as a woman singing holiday carols less than five minutes into the show.
Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday in Doctor Who Christmas Special “The Church on Ruby Road” (2023), BBC
What do you make of these poor Doctor Who viewership numbers?
Dr who and DISNEY BBC WOKENESS AS KILLED DOCTOR WHO FORE GOOD, NEVER WATCHED IT ATOLL, THE SHOW JUST KEEPS GOING DOWNHILL, IT NEEDS TO BE MORE LIKE THE BADWOLF SERIES, OF DOCTOR WHO, AND GO BACK TO DAVID TENNANTS BACKING MUSIIC MURRAY GOLD, THE SHOW IS FINISHED AND WOKENESS GALORE WILL NOT WATCH AGAIN
Alan, first, you say you never watched it. Then you said you want to watch it again. So why comment and lie. Not kind but you are coward. Hmm
You seen to be missing a lot of things in your interpretation of the data. First of all, the episode was actually the highest rated scripted program of the night and the 3rd overall (the most watched overall being the King’s Christmas message which was watched by 5.5 million, also a low number compared to the 10 million of last year’s, and the second being Strictly Come Dancing). Second, thanks to streaming, live terrestrial TV viewing numbers have been in a steady decline for years now, so a lower percentage of viewers has always been expected, and with Who being acquired by Disney+, it’s also expected that the majority of its audience will just stream the episode in a later date than give up their Christmas celebrations just to watch the episode live. There is data supporting this, I’m not just spitting BS out of thin air, and this might also explain the massive drop of numbers for the King’s Christmas message (https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/aug/03/british-tv-viewing-in-decline-as-older-audiences-join-shift-to-streaming). All in all, you really can’t just compare the viewing habits of people in 2023 to other years.
Third, and most importantly, the ratings for Doctor Who, as well as the Appreciation Index, are actually up. Series 13 and its specials ranged from 75-82 in their AI, and the ratings ranged from 2.20 mil to 4.4 mil. The AI for the 60th specials ranged from 83-85, with the viewing numbers ranging from 4.62 m to 5.08m. The Christmas Special’s AI isnt out yet, but compared to series 13, its 4.73 is phenomenal.
Your interpretation of the data is reductive and your conclusions are reactionary. Your interpretations are clouded by your politics than proper observation. Calm down, man.
Your counterargument is invalid. You’re here to promote your hate speech in that the woke mind virus cult is right while everyone else is wrong. Doctor Who use to be progressive yes.. but now it’s extremely liberal and infested with woke culture to its core. Not just Doctor Who: Star Wars, Marvel, DC, Lord of the Rings, Star Trek are all infected with woke culture these days. Y’all’s goal is to alienate the core audience and call all of us bigots when you guys are the real psychos. The real degenerates are anyone that believes and follows woke & liberal ideologies.
PMSL at your silly article. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story, right? The Doctor Who specials scored some of the best viewing figures for drama on UK TV of 2023. But why bother with facts when you’re throwing your toys out of the pram eh mate?
This is such a bad take. Whoever wrote this article is full of bias and is ill informed.
I didn’t like the special, mainly because of the singing goblins. The writer, however, seems to have a definite issue with trans people in general. People like that generally turn out to be closet queens.
“…it’s promoting a sinful, hedonistic, and degenerate message” Well said. Its good to see someone with strong moral values who is willing to call the rot that has set into Dr Who (and society) for what it is….evil.
Shame on Tenant and Tate for taking part in this sodomisation of a much loved family programme. Russel T Davis has found a platform to target children and twist their minds into this freakish ideology.
Dont forget, Dr Whos Christmas ratings were beaten by a guy, sitting on a chair talking. The competition was not of the highest calibre yet still that hedonistic mess couldnt win. The ONLY reason the Christmas episodes achieved that ranking was due to people tuning in with the hope that RTD would inject new non-woke life back into the series. Instead they were met with this festering pile of woke puke.
Dr Who is dead.