Jodie Whittaker says the "gender question" is becoming less of an issue for ‘Doctor Who’ fans.
The 37-year-old actress made headlines when she was cast as the BBC show’s first-ever female Doctor in 2017, and with her second series set to start next month she feels less "pressure" now.
She told The Big Issue: "I feel like I’ve been accepted as the Doctor. There was a pressure. If I’d have been a guy in this role I’d have only been representing my own casting as an individual.
"But it felt like I could hold people back if nobody liked what I brought to the Doctor … the gender question is now going away. Hopefully it won’t make the news next time."
With Jodie reprising the role for a new season – which kicks off with the first half of an epic two-parter on January 1st and then airs on Sundays from January 5th – showrunner Chris Chibnall has teased a huge cliffhanger for the big return.
He said: "As a kid growing up in the 1970s, part of what got me addicted to ‘Doctor Who’ was the cliffhangers.
"They were essential to the DNA of the show. That’s not the case in the same way in the modern show.
"So when you do get the chance to do a cliffhanger now, it’s really exciting."
Tosin Cole – who plays Ryan Sinclair in the show – agreed with the sentiment, and promised fans a "popcorn" moment.
He said: "The way the first episode ends, it’s like, ‘WOAH!’ What a way to start off a series!
"I think it’s really going to get everyone excited to see what happens. So get comfortable. Grab the popcorn. It’s about … to go … down."
Doctor Who’s Jodie Whittaker says ‘gender question’ is going away
