Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Yes—but with an important qualification. In Doctor Who Season 14, Episode 6, “Rogue,” Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor shares an explicitly romantic kiss with Jonathan Groff’s bounty hunter. It is best described as the first clearly romantic same-sex kiss involving the Doctor on the television series—not the first same-sex kiss anywhere in the wider Doctor Who franchise.
Which episode features the Doctor and Rogue’s kiss?
“Rogue” premiered on June 8, 2024. The episode follows the Doctor and Ruby Sunday as they arrive in 1813, where guests at a Duchess’s party are being murdered. The official synopsis describes a mysterious bounty hunter named Rogue as someone who is about to “change the Doctor’s life forever.”
Rogue is hunting the shapeshifting Chuldur, while the Doctor investigates the danger surrounding the Regency ballroom. Their first encounters are suspicious and combative, but the tension gradually becomes flirtation. Verbal sparring gives way to dancing, mutual trust and a shared recognition of loneliness.
Near the episode’s conclusion, the Doctor and Rogue kiss. The moment is not framed as a disguise, a joke or an accidental misunderstanding. It is a reciprocal romantic exchange between the Doctor and a male character, followed by a painful separation.
Popular on Amazon
- Blu-ray
What barrier did the scene actually break?
The precise historical claim is:
“Rogue” featured the first explicitly romantic same-sex kiss involving the Doctor on television.
That is narrower—and more accurate—than calling it the first same-sex kiss in Doctor Who history. The franchise had already portrayed same-sex affection, queer attraction and same-sex kisses involving companions or supporting characters. Earlier stories also included moments that were affectionate, comic, suggestive or differently framed.
What made “Rogue” distinct was the combination of four elements: the Doctor himself was involved, the attraction was overtly romantic, the response was mutual, and the scene carried emotional consequences for the character. Contemporary coverage from outlets including Entertainment Tonight and The Independent described the moment as the first romantic gay or same-sex kiss involving the Doctor during the program’s roughly 60-year television history.
Also popular on Amazon
Why the kiss matters for the Fifteenth Doctor
The scene makes the Fifteenth Doctor’s romantic attraction to a man direct rather than merely implied through flirtation or tone. Gatwa’s Doctor is surprised by his feelings, vulnerable with Rogue and visibly affected when their connection is broken apart. The story does not require the Doctor to disguise his attraction or explain it away.
That fits the Fifteenth Doctor’s broader characterization. He is playful and theatrical, but also emotionally open, quick to form intense bonds and capable of sudden grief. The romance with Rogue is brief, yet it gives those qualities a specific dramatic shape: attraction becomes trust, trust becomes sacrifice, and the Doctor is left carrying the loss.
The episode also places this milestone inside a familiar Doctor Who pattern. The Doctor’s relationships can be powerful without becoming settled partnerships. Time travel, danger, identity and separation repeatedly make intimacy temporary. “Rogue” uses that tradition while giving the Doctor a plainly same-sex romantic storyline.
Also popular on Amazon
What happens to Rogue?
Rogue disappears after acting to protect the Doctor and the people trapped at the party. The episode leaves his fate deliberately unresolved. His final instruction, “Find me,” keeps open the possibility that he survived or could return, but it does not establish that he and the Doctor became a settled couple.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThat ambiguity is important. The episode presents a meaningful romance and an unresolved separation, not an ongoing relationship with a confirmed future. Any description of Rogue as the Doctor’s boyfriend should therefore be treated as shorthand for their brief romantic connection, not as an established long-term status.
Who created and performed the story?
“Rogue” was written by Kate Herron and Briony Redman. Jonathan Groff plays Rogue, Ncuti Gatwa plays the Fifteenth Doctor, and Millie Gibson plays Ruby Sunday.
Also popular on Amazon
The production combines Regency romance, ballroom drama and science fiction. That mixture allows the kiss to emerge naturally from the episode’s plot rather than appearing as an isolated publicity beat. The dance and period-romance setting establish the emotional language; the Chuldur threat supplies the danger that tests the Doctor and Rogue’s growing trust.
Groff also described Gatwa as “so unpredictable and thrilling to act with because you never see the same thing twice,” a comment about his co-star’s performance energy and their work together. It should not be read as evidence of the actors’ personal feelings or as a measure of audience reaction.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
How to describe the milestone accurately
| Accurate description | Why it works |
|---|---|
| The Doctor’s first explicitly romantic same-sex kiss on television | It identifies the Doctor, the medium and the romantic context. |
| A historic same-sex kiss for the Fifteenth Doctor | It focuses on Gatwa’s incarnation without rewriting the franchise’s entire history. |
| The first same-sex kiss in all Doctor Who media | Too broad: books, comics, audio stories and earlier television characters make this claim inaccurate. |
| The Doctor and Rogue became a settled couple | Unsupported: the story ends with separation and an unresolved future. |
Where does the episode fit in the season?
“Rogue” is Season 14, Episode 6 in the modern series numbering used for the 2024 run. It is also part of the Fifteenth Doctor’s first full season, which was marketed in some regions as Doctor Who Season 1. This difference in labeling explains why viewers may see the episode listed under either “Season 14” or “Season 1,” depending on the service or release.
Also popular on Amazon
Can the story continue beyond the episode?
The episode’s “Find me” ending is an emotional hook, not a confirmation of a sequel or a completed reunion. The safest conclusion is that Rogue’s fate remains open within the story. Viewers interested in revisiting the Doctor–Rogue relationship can also look for the official novelisation of “Rogue,” written by Herron and Redman, as supplementary material rather than a replacement for the televised episode.
Where to watch “Rogue”
Availability depends on territory and can change. In the United Kingdom, viewers should check BBC iPlayer; in other markets, the episode has been distributed through Disney+. The episode may also be included in physical Doctor Who Season 1 DVD, Blu-ray or steelbook editions. Check the current listing in your region before relying on any one service or release.
Say something about this film