>> IS CHARMED NEAR THE END?

<< WHEDON TO TREAT WONDER WOMAN SERIOUSLY

Doctor Who not too scary for under-8s
14 April

The BBC has made a U-turn over its comments that Doctor Who is too frightening for under-eights to watch.

Yesterday, the BBC's complaints website had said that the series was too scary for younger viewers following 91 complaints about last Saturday's The Unquiet Dead.

The BBC had said that the series "had never been intended for the youngest of children", adding that "we would suggest that only children aged eight and above should watch with their parents."

However, today, the BBC has withdrawn this advice, claiming that it was a "mistake".

According to the Beeb, monsters in the series "may be scary" but content is "carefully considered". A spokesman added: "We leave it to parents' discretion to ultimately decide."

"The programme sets out to balance the right amount of humour, drama and suspense in each episode," he went on.

Comedy and bravery had been incorporated to create "the right context" for the story, he said, adding that the BBC would be vigilant about the balance in each week's episode.

Writer Mark Gatiss was interview on Radio 4's PM this evening. Asked by Eddie Mair whether he was surprised at the fuss, Gatiss said that he was, before adding that "without being too glib about it" he was "quietly thrilled".

Gatiss went on to say that: "Doctor Who was always about providing healthy scares - a kind of Ghost Train thrill - and not about absolutely terrifying people to death, but it's the sort of thing it's always done since the beginning and extremely well. I'm really happy because it scared the life out of me and that's why I'm sitting here talking to you today."

Mair: "What was it - I've taped it so don't spoil it too much - what was it about it that was so scary do you reckon?"

Gatiss: "Well, it's about the living dead being inhabited by gas creatures, but I think of a scale of scary things compared to living plastic dolls and suffocating daffodils from the early seventies, it's probably not as scary as it used to be."

Mair: "Are you ... I read today that you may already have toned down the episode - is that true?"

Gatiss: "No, no, that's kind of got a bit away from me. The early drafts of the story were kind of too grim, really, rather than scary. It wasn't about toning down the actual monster factor or anything like that. The tone of it - it's set in an undertaker's, it's sort of not very Saturday night."

Mair: "Now, on this question of whether the under-8s should watch, we've already - because we said you were coming on the programme - we've had some texts and e-mails. Charlie Kay texted to say, 'My four-year-old son and I watched Doctor Who last Saturday. He was utterly terrified - he loved it.' Neil Briscoe asked, 'Do modern kids really need to be wrapped up in cotton wool?' And on a slightly unrelated topic, Ben McCrory wanted to say something nice: 'Please tell Mark that his episode was by far the best so far.'"

Gatiss: "God bless him."

Mair: "Well indeed. On the question of under-8s, what are your views?"

Gatiss: "Well, you know, I think that it's a very real serious point that children can be too cosseted these days and it sort of stops them from having a range of emotions, including healthy scares. It's something that is very easy to forget that children enjoy very much. It's no accident that Harry Potter is as successful as it is when it has a centrally scary message that people do die and it's not all about roses and happy things. It can be a strange and dangerous world out there. My niece, Olivia, has not slept for three nights apparently but she's also desperate to see this week's episode. I don't know whether she'll be allowed to watch it but she's desperate to see it."