Russell T Davies, the acclaimed creator of Doctor Who, has found love with Oliver Cole, a model and aspiring actor who is 35 years younger. The 62-year-old television writer shared the news with his Instagram followers over the holiday season, posting a cheerful selfie of himself alongside the 27-year-old Oliver, captioned, “Merry Christmas! From me & Oliver.”

Their relationship, however, was subtly hinted at more than a month prior, when Davies allowed Oliver, an Australian waiter, to visit the TARDIS set. This gesture sparked curiosity and excitement among the show’s devoted fans, with some even speculating if Oliver might be the next Doctor.

Oliver addressed the rumors playfully on his social media in November, sharing a video of himself enjoying the iconic set and assuring fans, “Not the new Doctor Promise x.” During the same interaction, Russell left a comment wishing Oliver a happy birthday, further fueling interest in their budding romance.

A friend close to the couple revealed to Richard Eden of The Daily Mail that Oliver has brought significant happiness into Russell’s life, and the two genuinely enjoy each other’s company.

Oliver captioned the video: ‘27- Another Year Passes. But it’s alright I have a TARDIS x’.

He then reassured fans: ‘Not the new Doctor Promise x’ while Russell also wished Oliver a happy birthday in the comments.

Doctor Who’s Russell T Davies, 62, hinted at his new romance by introducing boyfriend Oliver Cole, 27, to the iconic TARDIS as he finds love again following the tragic death of his husband Andrew Smith

Taking to his own social media in November, Oliver was scene frolicking around the iconic set, sparking speculation among the show’s obsessive fans that he could be the next Time Lord

A close friend of the couple told The Daily Mail’s Richard Eden: ‘Oliver has brought a great deal of joy into Russell’s life and they make each other genuinely happy. 

‘Despite the age gap, they’re very much on the same wavelength – this relationship feels like one for the long haul.’

It’s Russell’s first serious relationship since the death of his husband, Andrew Smith, from a brain tumour in 2018. 

The couple had been together for more than 20 years and Russell took two-and-a-half years away from work to care for Andrew, a customs officer, during his battle with the terminal illness.

‘I was surprised by how many people were surprised that I did that,’ he later reflected.

Russell has often said that, given a time machine, he would travel back to the night he met his late husband. 

‘If I had a Tardis, I would go to Canal Street in Manchester and be a bystander in Cruz 101 on April 12, 1998, as I was standing by the railing, and he [Andrew] was standing at another railing with his friend, and we caught eyes,’ he said.

Andrew was diagnosed with a brain tumour back in 2011 when the couple were living in LA. 

Oliver captioned the video: ’27- Another Year Passes. But it’s alright I have a TARDIS x’

It’s Russell’s first serious relationship since the death of his husband, Andrew Smith, from a brain tumour in 2018 (pictured together) 

Given only a three per cent chance of recovery, the pair moved back to Manchester and Russell took two years off work. 

Speaking in an interview with the Radio Times back in 2019, six months after his passing, Russell described caring for Andrew as the ‘the greatest work I’ll ever do on this Earth.’

He explained: ‘All the widows warned me that six months was hard, and it is hard. I expected to miss him but we knew he would die one day. We had 13 years before he was ill but it’s hard to remember that at the moment. I’m stuck in the last four weeks of him dying.

‘Little by little, I know it will pass. I knew I would miss loving him, but what I didn’t know I would miss is being loved. That’s quite hard. That’s hideous, actually. No one warns you about that. I didn’t expect that to vanish but it’s just gone.’