Tonic for the Doctor

ANYONE who has ever sat in on a stage show audition will know how brutal they are. I’ve done a bit of writing for the theatre and sat quietly in the auditorium as a young actor goes through his or her paces, followed by another and another.your heart goes out to them.

When Ncuti Gatwa was chosen as the new Doctorwho there were predictable mutterings that he simply got the part because he was black. Doctor Who has long been a means by which the BBC shows how diverse it is with increasingly preachy storylines. The series – its viewing figures plummeting – should maybe have been knocked on the head long ago.

However, Ncuti may give it the boost it needs. So congratulations and and sympathy for the flak he’s encountered. Writer Russell T Davies scripted an eight-page scene for the wannabe Doctors to memorise and perform in the audition. That’s a strenuous test. And I’ve no doubt that Ncuti will be terrific and got the coveted role because he is outstanding. ■

WHAT’S all the fuss about? My passport was about to expire so I applied online for a new one and it arrived in a couple of weeks. I had emails informing me of the progress of my application and the whole thing was a model of efficient bureaucracy.

Yet I keep reading that angry, would-be holidaymakers are going berserk because they won’t get their new passports in time.

The Passport Office says there’s a 10-week wait because of unprecedented demand. But some report having to wait five months. Really? Covid is to blame of course.all those passports sitting in sock drawers for two years, mostly forgotten. What a nuisance to fish it out while packing for your eagerly-anticipated easyjet flight to Alicante to find that the ruddy thing has expired. Just as we thought holidays were back and restrictions were history there’s another hurdle to overcome.

Maybe I was simply lucky. But if there’s a moral to this, it’s don’t book your holiday until you’ve made sure everyone has an up-to-date passport. It’ll save a lot of grief.