All change for the Doctor

10-part audio series takes the Time Lord into a whole new universe

As a long-running TV series, Doctor Who has always been quick to adapt itself to new trends and technologies, and the latest 10-part audio series is no different. Doctor Who: Redacted follows Cleo (Charlie Craggs), Abby (Lois Chimimba) and Shawna (Holly Quin-Ankrah), who host a paranormal conspiracy podcast about a mysterious blue box that appears throughout history. (Yes, a podcast within a podcast…)

It becomes clear that anyone who encounters the Doctor disappears – or is forgotten. Which is what happens to Cleo’s brother.

Set in the Doctor Who universe, Cleo had been kicked out of her home by her mother when she was 16 for being transgender.

Writer Juno Dawson (far right) found recognition as a writer of young adult fiction and later came out as transgender herself.

Speaking to BBC Newsbeat, Dawson said: “When I look at shows like Queer As Folk or It’s A Sin, they have changed the conversation around gay people, about HIV.

“I don’t think there’s been a trans equivalent of Queer As Folk or It’s A Sin, and so I’m really hopeful that tr ans creators like myself will be given opportunities to tell our own stories.”

Dawson also said she hopes increased representation of the trans community in work such as Doctor Who: Redacted will show people that the lives of trans people are just like anyone else’s.

It’s so that people can get to know us, because actually we’re just really normal, boring people,” she says.

“And sometimes normal,

boring people go on adventures with the Doctor – and that’s what Doctor Who has always been

about.”

Lead character Cleo is played by transgender activist Charlie Craggs (below), who hopes the new show will help change people’s perception of th et rans community without making them“feel like they’ re being shouted at”.

She told BBC News beat :“It’ s hard not to feel the humanity of Cleo’s character when you’re listening to this show.

“You’d have to be some sort of sociopath not to feel something when you hear what she’s going through.”

Of course, the story would not be complete without an appearance from the Doctor, and Jodie Whittaker( left) guests in the series.

“It was wonderful to be a part of and great for me to revisit the character,” the 13th Doctor enthused. “I think for Doctor Who fans, they’ll really love the adventure; it’s ace!”

And the switch to audio without the TV visuals wasn’t a problem. “I think that’ s the joy of Doctor Who, with each world that we visit whether in a podcast, an escape room, the TV show, audio book ... it’ s got enough for everyone. It’s got enough for Whovians but it’s also got enough for people visiting for the first time. It never loses that wonderful Doctor Who identity which makes it unique, but it also never excludes.”

Doctor Who: Redacted is available on BBC Sounds.