Jodie Whittaker has proven that a woman can play the Doctor.
The 36-year-old actress stepped into the iconic lead role in ‘Doctor Who’ for her first series in the TARDIS this year – following on from Peter Capaldi’s incarnation of the Time Lord – and she is glad to have made history.
Speaking at a special preview screening for the show’s New Year’s Day special ‘Resolution’, she said: "I’ve never walked round thinking, ‘I’m a girl in this situation’ – [though] there have been times where I’ve realised that there may have been some doors that were at a different angle to me, because of being a woman.
"I suppose playing the Doctor, because it’s an alien, and because the Doctor has two hearts, it means you don’t need any qualifications, you just need to go like that [gesturing outwards, with open arms] and that can be boy or girl.
"I think we knew that, but it’s wonderful to be the first person in a position to really say, ‘See? We can do it!’ "
While fans are facing a long wait for Jodie’s second season, the BBC’s Director General added at the event that series 12 will hit the small screen "very early in 2020".
And it could give fans more of an insight into the character of Yaz – played by Mandip Gill – after a fan asked whether viewers would see more of her as a police officer.
Digital Spy quote show runner Chris Chibnall as saying: "That’s a really good question. Some of these questions may be answered in the forthcoming series."
The BBC previously announced that Jodie is set to be joined once again by Mandip, Bradley Walsh (Graham) and Tosin Cole (Ryan).
And the broadcaster heaped praise on the most recent series, which "averaged a four-screen consolidated audience of 8.4 million".
Charlotte Moore, director of content, added: "We’re delighted that the Doctor and her friends will be returning to thrill audiences in 2020.
"I know Chris and the whole team are already working on a whole new set of exciting adventures. In the meantime we’ve got a very special episode on New Year’s Day for everyone to enjoy."
Jodie Whittaker glad to have proven anyone can play the Doctor
