Doctor Who: ‘Dishonest’ BBC accused of risking viewers’ lives with regeneration scene

‘If we had known we would not have agreed,’ the filming location’s owner said

The BBC has been accused of “dishonesty” over a scene involving Jodie Whittaker and David Tennant in Doctor Who.

On Sunday (23 October), Whittaker’s final outing as the 13th incarnation of the Time Lord, in an episode titled “The Power of the Doctor”, was broadcast.

The episode ended with a regeneration scene that teed up three new Russell T Davies specials by reintroducing Tennant to the role.

However, the estate that owns Durdle Door, the Dorset landmark on which the final scene took place, has now claimed that the BBC did not explain what it was intending to use it for.

The landmark is part of the Weld Family-owned Lulworth Estate, whose representatives have said they would have refused the BBC’s request if they had known, as the cliff edge poses a threat to the general public. They believe the episode might encourage viewers to “put themselves in a dangerous position” while visiting.

Durdle Door attracts visitors who wish to jump from the cliff into the choppy sea below, which has led to deaths in the past.

“When consenting to the use of Durdle Door for an episode of Doctor Who, the BBC decided not to include a proper description of what they intended,” a spokespoerson for Lulworth Estate said, adding: “No mention was made by the BBC that they were seeking to portray the Tardis and the Doctor on top of Durdle Door, the consequences of which will have a potentially serious impact on our staff and the emergency services.”

The statement continued: “If we had known we would not have agreed, because of the encouragement that this may give to some of our visitors to put themselves in a dangerous position, the consequences of which have been well documented.”

Lulworth Estate, branding the BBC’s request “duplicitous and dishonest”, added: “We are disappointed that the BBC chose not to be honest with us when seeking our permission.”

The BBC defended itself from criticism by saying the scene was a “tightly kept secret”, adding that the Estate had not asked how the series was planning to use the cliff.

Durdle Door featured in ‘Doctor Who’ (BBC)

A spokesperson said: “Although we were granted permission to film with a drone, we weren’t asked how the location would be portrayed on screen. We truly felt that this dramatic scene is one that the Doctor Who audience would come to expect from the show.”

Tennant will return as the Doctor for three episodes in November 2023 alongside former companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate).

A brief teaser for the specials, which hinted at the debut of Ncuti Gatwa, was also released on Sunday.

Find The Independent’s review of the latest episode here.