Doctor Who Executive producer Matt Strevens has defended Series 12 from fan criticisms.

Speaking to SMH.com, Strevens said: “I think it sort of cleaves to the basic principle we have and I’ve had on the show, but I think we all have, is you have a vision for what you want to do while you’re on the show, whether you’re the Doctor, whether you’re a producer, whether you’re a writer, and you see that vision out.”

He continues: “And the conversation around what fans want and what audiences want, all that kind of stuff, you just have to trust yourself as a program. You can’t really be buffeted by those winds because people will change their minds.”

Strevens goes on to address the controversial Graham/Thirteen cancer scene: “Some people go, I just wanted her to say it’s going to be all right, and you go, yes, you do want that, but you don’t necessarily need that. It’s a moment for the Doctor to show she’s not human.”

He concludes: “We know the story and stories we’re telling [and] we will tell that to the best of our ability. You can’t get too sidetracked by the other stuff because the truth of any series of anything is that some people will like it and some people won’t like it. And that’s the only universal truth you can take.”