Doctor Who showrunner, Russell T Davies, has alluded to clashes behind the scenes between him and the BBC over the corporation’s use of social media.

Speaking to the Huffington Post to publicise his latest series, Tip Toe, Davies said he had some “very big problems” with the BBC after he “refused to be part of any press release that went on Twitter [now X]”. He explains:

“I said, ‘I’m taking my name off anything [that goes on X]’. There is no way a publicly-funded corporation should be posting on a hate site. And it is a hate site now – it’s run by one man with an aim to increase hatred, and all the safeguards have been taken off, and public bodies still post on it. It should stop immediately.

“In fact, we should sue those public [bodies]. We pay for the BBC – we pay for Channel 4 as well – and they’re public bodies. They should absolutely stop posting on a site that is not a public forum, but is a hate site.”

He’s reaffirming his belief that X is a “hate site”, but adding the questionable notion that we should sue the BBC for daring to represent people on a wide spectrum.

Is Davies implying that everyone on X spreads hate? Or just that its owner, Elon Musk, seems driven by different ideals to Russell? Either way, it’s still a public forum and free speech is important.

Nonetheless, I do know of companies who don’t post there anymore or try to limit their X interactions, so his call for the BBC to do similar isn’t unheard of.

Yet if you’re trying to publicise a show, social media is an important tool and you can’t cut off a whole audience just because they might have different political beliefs from yours. It all seems surprisingly naïve or at least bitter.

Anyway, let us know your thoughts in the comments section below — it’s a veritable public forum!