That’s right, Doctor Who fans! We just have a few weeks left before the premiere of season 10 and we have some pretty awesome news to share.
Pearl Mackie, who plays the newest companion, Bill, on the upcoming season of Doctor Who, was interviewed about her character and revealed that Bill will be the first openly gay companion in the show’s 54 year history.
“It shouldn’t be a big deal in the 21st Century. It’s about time isn’t it?” Mackie said. She continued, “That representation is important, especially on a mainstream show.
“I remember watching TV as a young mixed race girl not seeing many people who looked like me, so I think being able to visually recognise yourself on screen is important.”
Rightly so! And what’s great about this is the fact that Doctor Who is not going to be emphasizing her sexuality just for the sake of it. Her sexuality is just going to be one part of her character, just like Rose, Amy, Rory, Donna, Martha, Mickey, and Clara’s heterosexuality was a natural part of who they were as companions.
“[Being gay] is not the main thing that defines her character — it’s something that’s part of her and something that she’s very happy and very comfortable with,” Mackie confirms.
While Bill may be the first openly gay character, she’s not the first one to represent the LGBTQIA+ community in Doctor Who. Jack Harkness, portrayed by John Barrowman, was the show’s very first openly queer character but his sexuality was never explicitly clear.
Years later the show introduced us to Vastra and Jenny, an interspecies lesbian couple who lived in Victorian London. Those were all recurring characters, though, so Bill will be the series’ first openly gay series regular.
It’s great to see this show evolve and we can’t wait to see where they go from here!