Whouze points!
Sending Doctor Who to Eurovision – in space! – was a childhood dream come true for writer Juno Dawson
BBC
- Juno Dawson
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I have hidden myself in this episode of Doctor Who. At one point, the Doctor’s companion Belinda (Varada Sethu) says “Eurovision is the best night of the year. When I was little I was allowed to stay up late for the voting as long as I got into my pyjamas and brushed my teeth.” And actually, that was me! I remember kneeling in front of the TV waiting to see if Sonya or Michael Ball would take the trophy. Both came second – I was gutted.
There might not be an obvious link between the Eurovision Song Contest and Doctor Who, but I think they’re cousins – if not sisters. Of course, they’re both globally successful brands with a passionate and dedicated audience. But more than that, fans of Doctor Who and Eurovision can sometimes feel like outsiders, and that becomes part of someone’s identity. One becomes a Whovian or a Eurofan. At school, I was very much the weird kid who was obsessed with Doctor Who and Eurovision (as well as the Spice Girls). Professing my love of these things was my way of saying I was queer before I knew what it was to be queer.
Juno Dawson is an award-winning author of young-adult fiction and Doctor Who’s first openly transgender writer. Eivind Hansen
Perhaps it’s not surprising they’re so beloved by LGBTQ+ people. Both shows occasionally address queer themes – last year’s Eurovision winner, Nemo, was the first non-binary performer – but more generally the DNA of Doctor Who and Eurovision is fairness, tolerance, peace and the triumph of joy over hatred. It’s not hard to see why queer people feel so seen and so safe in both worlds.
Professing my love of these things was my way of saying I was queer
Both events have also evolved together, in aesthetic and reputation. Forty years ago, either might be derided for their shaky sets and outlandish costumes. But those tropes are as dead as the Time Lords. Modern Doctor Who is epic, on a level with sci-fi juggernauts Star Wars and Star Trek. Similarly, Eurovision is now a showcase for some of the biggest artists in the world, with Madonna and Justin Timberlake performing at recent finales. There were 163 million viewers worldwide for the final last year. That’s more than the Super Bowl. Yes, some people still dismiss it as fluff… but to be honest, at this stage that opinion is embarrassing.
So, when I was asked to write this episode, I was determined that my Interstellar Song Contest wouldn’t make fun of Eurovision by having aliens dance around in tin foil dresses. Why would the show devolve in the far future? If anything, I thought it would continue to become even grander. With huge ambition, the fictional Harmony Arena is the O2 Arena, in space, on steroids. I’m so proud of how the effects team rendered the stadium both physically and digitally. It looks very real and very, very big!
Russell T Davies and I wrote some lyrics and series composer, Murray Gold, was tasked with coming up with contemporary-sounding Eurovision music. Altogether, he composed four original tracks for the episode; three “entries” and one song that comes as a surprise at the end… Gold’s music adds further breadth.
But viewers shouldn’t go into this episode thinking it’s all camp and glitter. When a dangerous hijacker (Freddie Fox) attacks the contest, the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) unleashes a sort of rage we haven’t seen in a long time, while Belinda faces up to the fact she might never see her family for Eurovision – or on Earth – ever again. Meanwhile, bickering fans Gary (Charlie Condou) and Mike (Kadiff Kirwan) are on the verge of divorce, until catastrophe reminds them of what really matters. And what about the divalicious Cora (Miriam-Teak Lee), the wannabe winner from the planet Trion? What is she hiding?
Belinda (Varada Sethu) and the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) arrive at the Interstellar Song Contest. BBC
With this episode, I wanted to tell a human story. Because that’s how you win Eurovision. The best contests have plucky heroes like Conchita Wurst in 2014, who overcame homophobic rhetoric from certain nations, or an underdog like Kaarija, who raced past the hot favourites at the last second in 2023. It’s always about the act and the song. Truly.
While not immune from current affairs, Eurovision isn’t nearly as “political” as people think. In the last few years, Switzerland, Sweden, the Netherlands and Italy have won on the strength of their songs alone. No gimmicks, no dodgy votes. I’m afraid other nations are simply better at Eurovision than we are. A tough pill to swallow, but here we are. We got so close with Sam Ryder [when he came second in 2022]. We can, and will, win, if we send the right act with the right song.
Doctor Who and Eurovision have meant so much to me my whole life. Truly, if I could time-travel and tell my teenage self that one day I’d be combining them for the BBC, she’d think I was a liar. They’re two of my greatest pop culture loves. What an absolute gift to be able to bring them together.
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Juno Dawson is an award-winning author of young-adult fiction and Doctor Who’s first openly transgender writer
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Juno Dawson
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