Mark Gatiss reveals whether he would make a return to Doctor Who

Mark Gatiss has revealed he has not yet been asked to return to Doctor Who but feels it is “time for the young people” to lead the show.

The actor, 55, has previously been heavily involved with the sci-fi series having served as a writer as well as starring in a number of episodes, including the 2017 Christmas special.

His former co-writer Russell T Davies, who created Queer As Folk and It’s A Sin, is returning as the programme’s showrunner after leaving the show in 2009.

Speaking to the PA news agency on the red carpet of the Attitude Pride Awards, Gatiss described Davies’ return as “brilliant and thrilling”.

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He said he has not yet been asked to join the show once again and admitted, when asked if he would consider the opportunity, that he can “resist everything but temptation”.

Gatiss noted that it is “time for the young people” to take on roles within the show, jokingly adding “like Russell”.

Sex Education’s Ncuti Gatwa will be become the 14th Doctor on the popular BBC show, following Jodie Whittaker, who announced last July she would be leaving the role.

Heartstopper star Yasmin Finney is also joining the cast to play a character called Rose in scenes that are due to air in 2023 to coincide with the show’s 60th anniversary.

Gatiss said is it a “joyous thing” that a “palpable excitement” has been created about the show following these announcements, recalling how Hollywood actor Ryan Gosling was recently spotted wearing a T-shirt featuring Gatwa’s face.

The actor also praised Davies for being outspoken about how what has been dubbed by its critics as the Don’t Say Gay bill in the US proves that the LGBTQ+ community cannot relax about preserving its rights.

Gatiss told PA representation has “massively” improved on screen and that there has been an “awful lot of progress” within society to improve equality rights for LGBTQ+ people, but he fears things now appear to be “going backwards”.

He said: “These things can be undone with a stroke of a pen, and are being undone.

“I mean Roe versus Wade vanishing in America and gay marriage is definitely next, so these things are very fragile.”

Gatiss said the UK opposition parties could take a leaf out of Davies’ book by being strongly outspoken about these issues.

“As with the Democrats in America, there is in the politeness and a kind of idea that things are still being played by the rules, but they are not playing by the rules,” he added.

“American democracy is hanging by a thread and, again, if that’s true over there, it’s true over here.”