Doctor Who, one of the UK's most beloved science-fictions shows, faces 'extermination' after its 'woke' storylines enraged viewers.

The long-running sci-fi phenomenon, which has a global following of millions, has seen its ratings plummet after fans were left fed up by some of its recent plots.

Fuming 'Whovians' were outraged at the introduction of transgender and non-binary characters who would lash out at those 'assuming their gender', as well as a deranged villain played by a drag queen.

Campaigners have accused bosses behind the BBC series of 'promoting the cult of gender ideology' in the latest episodes of the time-hopping romp, which is streamed globally thanks to a lucrative deal with Disney thought to be worth £100million.

It comes amid rumours the franchise's lead star, Ncuti Gatwa, is on the verge of quitting his role as the Time Lord and that the show could soon be cancelled.  

The Scottish actor, 32, joined the cast in 2023 after Jodie Whittaker bowed out as the Doctor, but it's rumoured he's set to walk away from the show after two seasons.

The recent outing of the Doctor suffered abysmal ratings, with Ncuti's first series attracting between 2.25million and 3.18million viewers - a tiny fraction of what it used to pull in. 

The slump comes after Russell T Davies returned as showrunner and introduced a string of controversial plots - which included David Tennant's Doctor realising he was gay after developing a crush on the 'hot' Sir Isaac Newton.

Tennant, who stepped back into the Tardis to be the 14th doctor for three Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials, made the hint about his sexuality in a comment to Catherine Tate, who returned as his assistant Donna Noble.

In the exchange about Newton - who appears to be of Indian heritage in the show and is played by Nathaniel Curtis - Donna said: 'Is it just me or was Isaac Newton hot?'

And the Doctor replied: 'He was, wasn't he? He was so hot. Oh! Is that who I am now?'

Donna added: 'Well, it was never too far from the surface, mate. I always thought you...'

In the anniversary special, fans were also introduced to Donna Noble's transgender daughter, Rose, played by trans actress Yasmin Finney.

The 21-year-old, most recognised for her role as Elle Argent in Heartstopper, scolded Tennant's Doctor for 'assuming the gender' of an alien.

Tennant was called out by Finney's character for describing a fluffy rat-like creature called Beep The Meep as 'him'.

Rose lambasted the Doctor's assumption that the alien was a 'he', asking him: 'You're assuming he as a pronoun?'

In an exchange dubbed 'cringe-worthy' by some viewers, the Doctor then apologised and asked Meep if it was a 'he or she or they', to which the creature replied: 'My chosen pronoun is the definite article. I am always The Meep.' 

But the scene was slammed by viewers, with the Family Education Trust saying it promoted a 'cult of gender ideology' for young people watching the TV show.

Taking to X, the trust raged: 'The whole episode is dedicated to promoting the cult of gender ideology. Many vulnerable children watch Dr Who - this is dreadful propaganda from the BBC yet again.'

Fans also lamented at the introduction of the screeching, wide-mouthed, ginger-haired non-binary villain, Maestro - played by American drag queen Jinkx Monsoon.

The camp icon, who is seen slithering out of a piano while gurning and laughing maniacally, went viral for correcting another character for using 'him' pronouns incorrectly.

In the show, Maestro encounters a man who warns other characters to 'get away from him' - to which the villain replies: 'Them.'

'What?' the bemused man then asks. 'I'm "them", but my notation is "Maestro",' Monsoon's character then replies, before going on to use musical chords as a weapon. 

However, Whovians were again left groaning at the seeming introduction of gender politics in the long-running sci-fi series. 

'The Maestro was probably one of the worst things I've ever seen. No exaggeration. #RIPDoctorWho,' wrote one angry viewer on X. 

A second raged: '#RIPDoctorWho Wow. Well Dr Who is totally unwatchable now. Maybe have a Dr Who series again instead of a platform for gender politics and radical left wing ideology? Go woke go broke.'

'The last couple seasons of #DoctorWho were mediocre at best as it begun it's slide into an #LGBTQ agenda. I noticed there was a new run so I started to watch it only to find it landed, hard in the lgbtq / trans agenda. #RIPDoctorWho,' a third wrote.

While a fourth simply branded the show 'trash'. 

And back in 2018, when Jodie Whittaker was the titular Time Lord, fans were introduced to a heavily pregnant man as one of the side characters.

The 'man' called Yoss is an alien from a species known as the Gifftans. He reveals that unlike humans, both male and female Gifftans can give birth - when men giving birth to boys and women giving birth to girls. 

Lovers of the show have also lamented at the return of some of the programme's beloved villains, who have been given a 'woke' facelift by showrunner, Russel T Davis.

Davos, the gaunt, disfigured creator of the Daleks, had been forced to use a wheelchair and mobile life support system since his introduction to Doctor Who in 1975. 

But in his 2023 return for a Children In Need special, Davos appeared able-bodied and sporting a new, younger look. 

The decision for the overhaul was made by Davis, who said he disliked the fact Davros was a 'wheelchair-user who is evil'. 

He said: 'A lot of us on the production team did too, associating disability with evil.'

But the change left fans unimpressed, with many taking to social to express their frustration.

'I'd actually much rather they left Davros in the past rather than try and do some re-write of history,' wrote one person. 

While another added: 'I guess i see where they're coming from with "Davros is harmful representation" but I do think it's incredibly lame they got rid of the forehead eye you should keep that no matter what.'

According to reports, a decision of the show's future will only be made by bosses once Ncuti's second series hits screens later this year.

It is thought that Ncuti has already filmed his regeneration exit scene, with crews allegedly fearing that this could spell the end of the series after a whopping 62 years.

A source told The Sun: 'Ncuti doesn't want to be tied to the series beyond this and plans to relocate to Los Angeles with several Hollywood projects standing by for him.

'His team also see a lot of fan backlash from the series, and don't want the perception of him still being The Doctor to get in the way of any future work.

'The show has been poorly managed in recent years and there's a lot of people who've been working on this show for years and now being cast aside due to poor leadership.'

The insider added that people had warned that the episodes were becoming 'too caught up on an agenda' rather than focusing 'telling a story', with those people apparently being 'shouted down' and 'ignored.'

However, a Doctor Who spokesperson added to The Sun: 'Doctor Who has not been shelved. As we have previously stated, the decision on season 3 will be made after season 2 airs. The deal with Disney+ was for 26 episodes — and exactly half of those still have to transmit.'

Ncuti was the first black actor to take on the leading role as The Doctor, after Jodie made history as the first permanent female Time Lord in 2017.

He became a household name when he starred as gay teenager Eric Effiong in the Netflix comedy-drama series Sex Education.

MailOnline have contacted representatives of BBC and Ncuti for comment.

Doctor Who has been produced by the BBC since 1963 and when it was first released, was intended to be a regular weekly programme aired on Saturday evenings.

It originally ran for 26 seasons from November 23, 1963 to December 6, 1989, it was intended to be an educational show for family viewing to teach its younger audience about history as the Doctor travelled through time with its companions, a history and science teacher.

Back in October, it was said that the future of Doctor Who was in doubt and questions had been raised about whether Ncuti will return for a third series.

The future of the hit sci-fi show may not be so secure after it was revealed that there will be a gap of at least two years following the second outing of the star as the titular character next year.

The extended wait may mean the Scottish actor might not return at all according to The Mirror.

Insiders have told the publication that eyebrows were raised about the programe after a mysterious edit was made to Graham Norton's BBC One chat show.

During the latest episode, The Sex Education actor revealed he would be filming the third series of Doctor Who next year.

But the comment was edited out when the episode of the chat show was aired.

It comes after Doctor Who producer Russell T Davies previously said 'no decision' had been made yet for the line-up of series three in July.

Appearing at Comic Con in San Diego alongside Ncuti and Millie Gibson, the screenwriter spoke about what was in store for the science fiction show.

Russell, 61, admitted decisions about who would star in series three haven't been made yet as they are still in the middle of filming the second season at the time.

The screenwriter said: 'We've shot season two, but that's only halfway through. We've got all those months of post to come. It's a long way off, so no decisions yet.'

The changing face of Doctor Who: Every actor who has played the Time Lord

 1. William Hartnell - 1963 to 1966

William Hartnell played the iconic Time Lord in his first incarnation, as he crashed to Earth with his granddaughter Susan after being 'exiled' from their planet Gallifrey. 

He was initially portrayed as a stubborn old man but a softer side was later shown to him in his compassion as a grandfather and towards his companions.  

The initial appearance of the doctor was very different to the modern episodes, with black-and-white filming and shaky effects. 

Hartnell's time as the Doctor also saw the first appearances of the Daleks and the Cybermen but years of travel took their toll on the aging Doctor and he collapsed in the TARDIS, leading to the second incarnation. 

The First Doctor sadly suffered through ill health while filming, ultimately forcing him to retire from acting. He passed away in 1975, aged 67.  

2. Patrick Troughton - 1966 to 1969

Patrick Troughton's Doctor was in stark contrast to his predecessor, and was outwardly scruffy and light-hearted. 

In the second incarnation, fans met with new enemies such as the Great Intelligence and the Ice Warriors. 

This time also saw the debut of classic series mainstay Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart (or the Brigadier), when he met the Doctor in the tunnels of the London Underground.

The Second Doctor's time came to an end when the TARDIS landed in the middle of a war-zone, created by a race of alien warlords. 

He was able to defeat the plot but was forced to regenerate due to breaking laws of non-interference. 

Troughton passed away in 1987 after suffering a fatal heart attack.  

3. Jon Pertwee - 1970 to 1974

Many modern-day fans will also know Pertwee for his role in Worzel Gummidge and his Doctor was more prone to action that his predecessors. 

After his exile to Earth was lifted, he and his companions travelled to all corners of the universe, along with meeting journalist Sarah Jane Smith.

This era also the first ever multi-Doctor crossover, as the Third Doctor met his two previous selves.

It saw the introduction of prehistoric villains The Silurians and The Autons, who appeared in the first episode of the 2005 reboot series.

Eventually Pertwee's Doctor regenerated following a nasty encounter with The Green Death. 

Pertwee is sadly also no longer with us and passed away in 1996.  

4. Tom Baker - 1974 to 1981

With his mass of curled hair and legendary striped scarf, Tom Baker was both the longest-serving Classic era Doctor and its most iconic, partly due to his partnership with Sarah Jane, played by the late Elizabeth Sladen. 

Tom - now 84 - is also known to younger fans as the narrator for comedy sketch series Little Britain. 

5. Peter Davison - 1981 to 1984

Peter's Doctor was dressed as a cricketer and his personality tended towards being indecisive - although he had a vulnerable side. 

Even though popularity for the show dwindled through this era, the Doctor and his companion Adric (Matthew Waterhouse) are fondly remembered. 

A heart-wrenching scene also saw the first major death of the series, when Adric died trying to stop a space freighter from crashing into prehistoric Earth. 

6. Colin Baker - 1984 to 1986

Colin Baker's time as the sharp-tongued Doctor was a turbulent period, with the actor's early dismissal as ratings plummeted leading to a slightly awkward regeneration scene. 

After the TARDIS was attacked by villainous Time Lady scientist The Rani, the Sixth Doctor was left injured and regenerated, though his death was never played out on-screen. 

In addition, the Doctor was never reunited with his companion Peri (Nicola Bryant). 

7. Sylvester McCoy - 1987 to 1989

The Doctor headed into his seventh incarnation with his signature cane and punctuation-printed vest while, as now-EastEnders star Bonnie Langford took on the role of dizzy companion Mel Bush.

However McCoy's tenure in the TARDIS came to an abrupt end when BBC axed the show in 1989. 

8. Paul McGann - 1996 and 2013

After a near-decade off-screen Doctor Who was brought back as a TV movie in an American co-production, with Paul McGann taking on the leading role. 

This film saw The Master (played here by Eric Roberts) trying to steal the Doctor's remaining lives by opening the Eye of Harmony the TARDIS, which nearly destroyed the Earth.

Luckily, the Doctor and his companion Dr Grace Holloway (Daphne Ashbrook) prevent the Earth's destruction, leading the Master is sucked into the Eye.

It was in this film that fans saw their first glimpse at what a romance between the Doctor and his companion could look like, as they shared a firework-lit kiss in the closing scenes which infuriated fans at the time.

9. Christopher Eccleston - 2005

The series was an instant hit as Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) teamed up with Eccleston's version of The Doctor, this time a leather jacket-clad man with a Northern accent because 'lots of planets have a North!'

A drastic change for the series at this point was the absence of Gallifrey, which had been destroyed - off-screen - in a Time War with the Daleks.

The Daleks took centre stage in this new series with a scary gold exterior, and an explosive finale saw thousands of the alien robots try to conquer a futuristic version of Earth under the leadership of their Emperor.

Sadly Eccleston's tenure in the TARDIS was brief - largely due to reports of disagreements behind the scenes - but his regeneration proved epic, kissing Rose to absorb the TARDIS vortex and save her life.

10. David Tennant - 2005 to 2010

Ask most Doctor Who fans, and they would predominantly name David Tennant as their favourite Doctor and fans became invested in his feelings for Rose Tyler. 

It was also the birth of his famous partnership with Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) which saw hilarious banter between 10 and companion. 

Ten's exit also saw Russell T Davies step down as showrunner and his closing scenes saw the fan-favourite alone in the TARDIS saying 'I don't want to go' before bursting into regeneration, with viewers of more than 11 million struggling to hold back their tears.

11. Matt Smith - 2010 to 2013 

Matt, 27, made for the youngest-ever Doctor as he had big shoes to fill, while Stephen Moffatt took on the reins of show-running. 

Known as the 'raggedy Doctor', fears were soon gone as Eleven's sprightly nature and signature bow tie won over fans in a heartbeat alongside companion Amelia Pond. 

He stepped down after four years after saying it was long enough in the role. 

12. Peter Capaldi - 2013 to 2017 

Fans felt the show headed back to its classic roots during Twelve's era as Scottish actor Peter took on the role. 

The character was capricious and spiky but became more compassionate over time.  

Fans grew to love the friendship between the older Doctor and his companion Clara (Jenna Coleman) while the show's first ever gay companion was introduced in the form of Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie) 

13. Jodie Whittaker - 2017 to 2022 

Jodie Whittaker took on the then-controversial role of the first-ever female Doctor.

The actress, 41, has portrayed the eponymous Time Lord on-screen for four years, and bowed out of the sci-fi series in her last episode in October 2022. However, the role and the show's script were criticised throughout her tenure. 

Her departure featured in the episode The Power Of The Doctor, which even saw a brief return of David Tennant.  

14. Ncuti Gatwa - 2023 to present

Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa is making history as the first-ever black actor to take on the role of the Doctor. 

He will be taking on the iconic role from Christmas Day onwards after his first appearance in the 60th anniversary episode, in which the Doctor 'bi-generated', meaning there were two versions at the same time.

He is set to cross paths with new companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) for the first time.