‘Doctor Who’ bosses will not cast a woman as the titular Time Lord, according to BBC complaints officer Joanne Coyne.
Twelfth Doctor Peter Capaldi is to leave the show at the end of 2017 along with showrunner Steven Moffat who is handing over the reins to ‘Broadchurch’ creator Chris Chibnall, whose first job will be to choose someone to be the next Doctor.
Speculation has been rife that the character could be portrayed by an actress for the first time but the BBC has now revealed that there are "currently no plans" for this to happen.
According to a report in The Sun newspaper, a committed ‘Doctor Who’ fan filed an official complaint to the organisation stating that a switch in gender for the role would confuse his kids but he received a response giving him assurances it would be another man in the TARDIS and that his concerns would be passed onto senior managers and programme makers "including the Doctor Who team".
Coyne wrote: "We appreciate that you’re a big ‘Doctor Who’ fan and you have concerns that the programme would change should there be a female doctor. Be assured there are currently no plans to have a female Doctor Who."
The female names in the frame before this news had been Tilda Swinton, Game of Thrones’ Natalie Dormer and Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
Among the guys being touted for the top job are ‘Death in Paradise’ star Kris Marshall, Homeland’s David Harewood and ‘Plebs’ actor Tom Rosenthal – the son of veteran sports presenter Jim Rosenthal.
In response to Coyne’s answer to the fan, a BBC spokeswoman has said: "No casting decisions have yet been made on Series 11."
‘Doctor Who’ – also starring Pearl Mackie as companion Bill Potts and Matt Lucas as Nardole – continues on BBC One on Saturday (22.04.17) at 19.20 with ‘Smile’.
BBC letter says there are ‘no plans to have a female Doctor Who’
