Doctor Who criticised after depicting Isaac Newton as person of colour

It's caused a big argument on social media

Doctor Who, the BBC's beloved franchise about a time traveller who protects Earth from threats, is back with the show's 60th anniversary special.

In Wild Blue Yonder which aired last night, the ep opened with an out-of-control Tardis smashing into an Apple tree which Isaac Newton was sitting below, prompting apples to fall left, right, and centre, prompting Newton to discover the laws of gravity.

However this isn't what got people talking, instead everyone was focussed on the colour of Newton's skin.

Played by It's A Sin actor, Nathaniel Curtis, the move created a huge debate on social media.

Paul Golding, leader of the far-right party Britain First, fumed: “The BBC has turned Sir Isaac Newton into a Black man. Historical revisionism at its most sinister.”

Political commentator Darren Grimes, wrote: “Doctor Who is now gay and Sir Isaac Newton is suddenly mixed race. Alongside pronouns and trans characters.

“The Doctor Who production team seem to be running the [Defund the BBC] campaign for us!”

GB News contributor Paul Embery shared a picture of Newton in the show and described the casting as “patronising nonsense”.

Others however were on board with the decision. One person wrote on X: "Isaac Newton wasn't Asian, you're right. But Charles Dickens didn't blow up ghosts. Agatha Christie didn't fight off a Giant Wasp. Mary Seacole didn't treat Sontarans. Van Gogh didn't stab an invisible chicken. It's #DoctorWho. Get a grip. And they say we're the snowflakes…"

Another commented: "I’d like to see inside the brains of people who can believe in Daleks, a talking robot dog, a flying police box and even Captain Mike Yates as a dashing ladies’ man, but lose their shit if Isaac Newton is played by an actor of colour. #DoctorWho."