Change is always gonna come in Doctor Who and, as both showrunner Steven Moffat and current TARDIS incumbent Peter Capaldi prepare to bid the series farewell, there's a new regime behind the camera in Chris Chibnall. He's cast someone he's worked with on Broadchurch, with Jodie Whittaker becoming the latest Doctor.
Yes, after more than 50 years of Doctor Who (skit The Curse Of Fatal Death being an exception) of the main character played by a bloke, it's actually a refreshing change to see a woman take on the role. And Whittaker, a veteran of films such as Attack The Block and Adult Life Skills has certainly proved herself a capable performer. We're excited to see what she does with the role.
Chibnall inherits the show at a time when the modern incarnation's popularity has been waning a little from the excitement of the re-launch, and the highs of the Tennant years. But with a new producer and star in place, this could just what the show needs. Capaldi and Moffat bow out with this year's Christmas episode, which will introduce Whittaker ahead of her first stint next year.
"I'm beyond excited to begin this epic journey – with Chris and with every Whovian on this planet, she told the Beeb. "It's more than an honour to play the Doctor. It means remembering everyone I used to be, while stepping forward to embrace everything the Doctor stands for: hope. I can't wait." And for those somehow concerned or angry at the casting, Whittaker also had words. "It feels completely overwhelming, as a feminist, as a woman, as an actor, as a human, as someone who wants to continually push themselves and challenge themselves, and not be boxed in by what you’re told you can and can’t be. It feels incredible... I want to tell the fans not to be scared by my gender. Because this is a really exciting time, and Doctor Who represents everything that’s exciting about change. The fans have lived through so many changes, and this is only a new, different one, not a fearful one."