For Millie Gibson, the journey into the Whoniverse was supposed to be a dream come true. Cast as Ruby Sunday, the first companion to Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor, Gibson’s arrival on Doctor Who in 2024 was marked by excitement, a bigger budget thanks to a partnership with Disney+, and an eager global audience. But as the cameras rolled and the TARDIS doors opened, a storm of tabloid rumors and online speculation swirled around her, threatening to overshadow her breakout role.
The trouble began even before Gibson’s debut episode aired. In June 2023, UK tabloids—most notably The Mirror—reported that Gibson had been labeled a “diva” on set, citing unnamed BBC insiders. According to The Mirror, Gibson was “determined to get it right,” but long shooting days and the prospect of night filming had allegedly led her to voice her frustrations. “She won’t be the first or last person to be a bit annoyed by a night shoot, but it has won her some snippy comments behind the scenes. The word ‘diva’ has been used once or twice when tempers are fraying,” the insider claimed, as reported by Bounding Into Comics.
By January 2024, the rumors had escalated. The tabloids ran with the story that Gibson would not appear in the 2024 Christmas special and had been effectively fired, with Andor star Varada Sethu slated to step in as the Doctor’s new companion. The supposed “scoop” was given further weight by Gibson’s reduced presence in promotional materials and Sethu’s prominent casting announcement. According to ScreenRant, showrunner Russell T Davies eventually confirmed that Gibson would return for Season 2, but she would only appear in four episodes.
Through all of this, Gibson remained publicly silent. It wasn’t until October 2025, in an interview with The i Paper, that she finally addressed the rumors and the emotional toll they took. “I couldn’t be like, ‘It’s a lie!’ [because] they’d be like, ‘Well, that’s spoilers. It was quite hard to stand up for myself without ruining the show. I was like, ‘Oh, this is horrific because it just looks like it’s true,’” Gibson explained. She described the situation as “awful” and “frustrating,” adding, “What was frustrating was the amount of people that were like, ‘Oh, sorry, this has happened mate,’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, it’s not [happened], but thank you.’”
Gibson’s experience is a stark reminder of the power of rumor in the age of social media and 24-hour news cycles. “Whether it is on social media or in news headlines, when rumors begin to circulate it is hard to dampen them down,” observed MovieWeb, reflecting on the relentless nature of public scrutiny. The situation was further complicated by the need for secrecy around Doctor Who’s plotlines; any attempt by Gibson to refute the rumors risked spoiling major story arcs. “It was quite hard to stand up for myself without ruining the show,” she said, echoing the delicate balance actors must strike between personal reputation and professional responsibility.
Support came from unexpected quarters. Ncuti Gatwa, who himself faced backlash and skepticism upon being cast as the Doctor, offered Gibson advice on weathering the negativity. “He’s had his time with that, and it’s just about just being able to try and shut it out. It will happen again, about something else, probably. It’s just about smiling and waving and not really letting it get to you,” Gibson told The i News. That camaraderie was crucial as both actors navigated the intense pressures of leading one of Britain’s most iconic TV franchises.
Despite the swirling rumors, Gibson’s character Ruby Sunday was never written out as abruptly as the tabloids claimed. In fact, her storyline evolved in ways that required her temporary absence—Ruby’s decision to spend time with her newly discovered birth parents, for example, was a plot point, not a sign of behind-the-scenes drama. As Bounding Into Comics noted, Ruby eventually reunited with the Doctor, joining UNIT, the show’s fictional military organization. Still, the damage of the rumors lingered, with many fans left confused and some critics questioning the show’s direction.
The controversy around Gibson’s tenure was just one facet of a larger debate about the direction of Doctor Who in the 2020s. The show has long been a lightning rod for cultural conversations, with recent years seeing heated discussions about “wokeness” in casting and storytelling. As MovieWeb pointed out, “a lot of controversy over whether ‘wokeness’ is taking over stories and casting choices” fueled the tabloid frenzy that surrounded Gibson. The show’s mixed reviews and fluctuating ratings during her time only added fuel to the fire.
Behind the scenes, more changes loomed. Disney+’s partnership with the BBC brought a bigger budget and a global platform, but it also meant higher stakes—and, as it turned out, a shorter-term commitment. According to industry reports, including those from MovieWeb and Just Jared, Disney+ is expected to end its co-financing deal with the BBC after early 2026. This move could force the BBC to either find a new streaming partner or revert to a more modest, UK-focused production model, potentially resulting in significant budget cuts. The show’s future cast and creative team are also in flux: Ncuti Gatwa’s surprise regeneration into Billie Piper’s Rose Tyler in early 2025, reportedly prompted by his decision to leave and Disney’s waning interest, left fans reeling and the show’s direction uncertain.
As for the immediate future, fans will have to wait. There is no confirmed new series of Doctor Who for 2025, and no Christmas special is planned. However, a five-episode spin-off miniseries titled The War Between the Land and the Sea, focusing on UNIT, is scheduled for release in early 2026. This project is set to be the final run of Doctor Who-related episodes co-financed by Disney, marking the end of an era for the franchise’s global ambitions.
For Gibson, the ordeal has been a lesson in resilience and the sometimes brutal reality of life in the spotlight. Her experience highlights both the opportunities and the pitfalls that come with being at the center of a beloved, yet often contentious, cultural institution. In her own words, “It will happen again, about something else, probably. It’s just about smiling and waving and not really letting it get to you.”
As the TARDIS stands idle and the fate of the Doctor remains uncertain, one thing is clear: the world of Doctor Who is as unpredictable off-screen as it is on, and for Millie Gibson, the adventure—both thrilling and turbulent—has only just begun.
