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Dr Who writer blasts ITV show Primeval for 'too white' cast
Last updated at 16:08pm on 29.03.07Doctor Who writer Russell T Davies has hit out at ITV's sci-fi show Primeval - for being too white.
ITV's sci-fi rival about time-travelling dinosaurs was announced within weeks of Doctor Who's return to the BBC.
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Writer Russell T Davies slammed the 'too white' cast of ITV show Primeval. The cast includes actor Douglas Henshall and ex-S Club singer Hannah Spearitt
The £6 million show launched last month with almost seven million people watching the first episode.
The series stars Douglas Henshall as a scientist battling prehistoric monsters who turn up in central London, Ben Miller as a civil servant and former S Club star Hannah Spearritt as a zoologist.
Dr Who's David Tennant and Freema Agyeman, and ex-Doctor Who star Billie Piper and actor Noel Clarke who played her boyfriend
Mr Davies said ITV's decision to launch its own sci-fi show was a compliment, adding "although you can't swear it wouldn't have been made anyway".
But the Swansea-born writer said he deplored the lack of non-white faces on the show.
He told TV trade magazine Broadcast: "Its (lack of) ethnic casting is shameful.
Writer Russell T Davies said other than its lack of an ethnically diverse cast, Primeval was a good show
"I've never seen such a white show in all my born days."
But he added: "Apart from that I think it's excellent... I absolutely love it."
The third series of Doctor Who features the first ethnic minority companion in the 43-year TV history of the show with Freema Agyeman, who has an Iranian mother and Ghanaian father, as sidekick Martha Jones.
The first and second series also had a prominent black character with Noel Clarke playing Mickey Smith, Billie Piper's boyfriend.
Agyeman recently spoke about the issue of race in Britain, saying: "I'm OK with where we're at.
We've come so far, but we are still not seeing so many black faces in parliament, we are not seeing so many black people in very high-powered positions.
"There is still a way to go, but we'll get there."
Mr Davies also said in the interview that he was incensed about a spelling error on a Doctor Who toy.
He said: "There's a spelling mistake on the back of the Empress of Racnoss toy packaging and it drives me mad.
"Kids are buying this and there's a spelling mistake on it.
"That's wrong. That won't happen again. When it's released it won't have a typo on it."
Doctor Who merchandise was responsible for an estimated £50 million of retail sales last year.
• David Tennant may have given the game away when he was asked about whether Doctor Who ties the knot.
The actor told The Graham Norton Show: "It's very difficult to answer - he doesn't not get married."
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