Jodie Whittaker: “There are only highs for me with Doctor Who”
Although we may have a new incoming Doctor to the TARDIS after Ncuti Gatwa was announced as the 14th Doctor, Jodie Whittaker still has one more episode as the most famous Timelord which will be broadcast at some point this autumn as part of the BBC’s centenary celebrations.
However, with her time nearly up and the end of another era in the sci-fi series approaching, Whittaker has been reflecting on her time as the Doctor, a role with which she broke new ground as the first ever woman to portray the character when she took over over from Peter Capaldi in 2018.
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“There are only highs for me with Doctor Who – I’ve had such an amazing time,” Whittaker told the Guardian in an interview as part of their BATFA TV Awards special.
Whittaker went on to talk about her fondness for the show, and her recognition of what an exclusive club she has joined in having played the Doctor.
“But even though there might be 13 more Doctors after me, I’ll always have been the Doctor.
“From the other people who have done it, you know that it’s one of those jobs where you are always a part of the family – you don’t get kicked out. Have I left the cast WhatsApp group? Absolutely not. And if they’ve got a new one without me, I’ll be devastated!”
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Jodie Whittaker, who has an extensive list of credits in television and film including Broadchurch (pictured above) and Black Mirror to name but a few, announced that she would be standing down from the role of the Doctor last July prompting almost a year of speculation about who would take over the role. When Whittaker steps out of the TARDIS, current showrunner Chris Chibnall will also leave the series and be replaced with the return of Russell T Davies, who is set to guide the show through its 60th anniversary in 2023 and beyond.
Speaking on the red carpet of the BAFTA TV Awards on Sunday night, Davies spoke of his excitement for the future of Doctor Who and praised the incoming star of the show, Ncuti Gatwa.
“I think when you cast the Doctor, you cast for the potential. I can see him for years exploring the part and taking it somewhere new.”
At present no further details have been released about the series in the Russell T Davies era, and it is expected that much will be saved until after the final episode starring Jodie Whittaker this autumn.
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