Ofcom has decided against launching an investigation into an episode of Doctor Who that was branded insensitive for showing a plane being shot down soon after the crash of a flight out of Egypt.
The broadcasting regulator received 31 complaints about the episode, which aired a week after a Metrojet airliner crashed, probably due to a terrorist bomb, killing all 224 people on board.
A doppelganger of the Doctor’s assistant, Clara, was shown trying to bring down the plane carrying the Doctor using a bazooka. The plane is shown blowing up in midair and two parachutes can be seen floating down. The camera is also shown panning over the wreckage of the aircraft.
“We received a number of complaints that it was insensitive to broadcast this episode, which featured a plane being shot down, so close to events in the Sinai peninsula,” said a spokesman for Ofcom. “In our view, the science fiction nature of Doctor Who and the storyline created a sufficient distinction from recent events. We therefore will not be taking the matter forward for investigation.”
