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June 3rd, 2013 289 comments

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Radio Times – BBC Not Ruled Out Female Doctor Poll

BBC Not Ruled Out Female Doctor

From The Radio Times

The new Doctor could be handed the keys to the TARDIS as early as next month, BBC sources have confirmed – with insiders suggesting Matt Smith’s replacement needs to be announced before the Doctor Who Christmas special begins filming next month.

The Twelfth Doctor is expected to first appear on screen at the end of the Christmas special, following the regeneration of Matt Smith’s Doctor.

It would be virtually impossible to keep the identity of the new doctor a secret even if the entire set went into lockdown during filming of the Christmas special, a BBC source told RadioTimes.com.

“The search has begun in earnest and is active now,” the source said, adding that the BBC has not ruled out hiring a woman to replace Matt Smith.

So like so many other we ask the question – yes of no!…



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289 comments

  • RYCBAR123

    June 11th, 2013 - 5:37pm

    I’ve already posted about my views on whether there should be a female doctor (shouldn’t happe IMO), but how about Stephen Merchant? :3

    Reply
    • RYCBAR123

      June 11th, 2013 - 5:38pm

      Happen*

    • Anonymous

      June 11th, 2013 - 11:46pm

      No,Sheridan Smith has a good chance and she’s already more popular with the public than matt smith

  • ماهان or mahan

    June 11th, 2013 - 7:14am

    iam persian :

    just men

    Reply
  • Dr who fan lol omg dr who rules

    June 10th, 2013 - 8:14pm

    Ye you should have someone like Taylor swift or Victoria justice DR WHO RULES!!!!!!!!

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      June 11th, 2013 - 1:48pm

      taylor swift or victoria justice? There wanting to get more viewers not drive the remaining ones away it will end up been Sheridan Smith if it’s going to be a girl or Olivia Coleman not some girl who can’t act

    • DoctorArkham

      June 19th, 2013 - 4:43pm

      Agreed, as good a singer Justice and Swift are, (that sounds like a comedy duo lol) they are not noted for their incredible acting skills. Yeah ok, Taylor Swift is in quite a lot of animated movies e.g. the Lorax but she has not been well known for live action. P.S. an American Doctor would be rubbish cos it would all be slang and stuff (I have nothing against Americans).

  • Anonymous

    June 10th, 2013 - 5:18pm

    Preeya Kalidas

    Reply
  • Silence Will Still Fall

    June 10th, 2013 - 1:01am

    Apparently the bbc have offered rory kinnear the honour of playing our 12th doctor. My only concern with him becoming the doctor is can he nail the doctor’s Eccentricity? i suppose time will tell providing the papers and bookies are right.

    Reply
    • Mels

      June 10th, 2013 - 8:48am

      Just as many people are reporting that’s not true. o_O

      Only time will tell (pun intended). :p

    • the astronaut of death

      June 10th, 2013 - 4:12pm

      moffat was asked about that

      and he said he has no idea and they have not even started

  • greyzinychimp

    June 9th, 2013 - 3:35pm

    i have a theory
    ok in the bells of st john Clara said she got the doctors number from the woman in the shop i think the woman is rose what do you think

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      June 10th, 2013 - 9:56pm

      I think it’s Susan

    • American Doctor Who Fan

      June 12th, 2013 - 6:06am

      Susan is in the future.

    • DoctorArkham

      June 19th, 2013 - 4:45pm

      Maybe the woman is John Hurt disguising himself (that would be plain weird but its just a thought). It could be Romana because she’s in E-Space which is like an alternate reality which means the barriers could be broken down because of the Doctor entering his own timeline. It’s just a guess.

  • drjakeyoung

    June 9th, 2013 - 1:13pm

    The doctor is an eccentric British white guy. Let it stay like that.

    Reply
    • MasterKasterborous

      June 14th, 2013 - 8:22am

      But he’s not; he’s a Time Lord who (so far) has just happened to only use a white, male face…

    • ROCKSTAR

      June 18th, 2013 - 9:49pm

      For 50 years if they wanted to put him as asian or black I think they would have done it ages ago.

    • DoctorArkham

      June 19th, 2013 - 4:46pm

      People, its Doctor Who’s 50th Anniversary. I know some writers for DW make rubbish mistakes, but I highly doubt that they will spoil the show in its most monumental year (mind you it’s Moffat we are talking about so you never know).

  • dr doak

    June 9th, 2013 - 12:17pm

    No matter what im a true fan off doctor who and i will continue watching it no matter who take he role for the 12th doctor

    Reply
    • dr doak

      June 9th, 2013 - 12:18pm

      the*

  • The Moffat Paradox

    June 9th, 2013 - 9:22am

    Whatever we think of the current creative direction of Dr Who according to viewing figures for BBC1 it’s usually among the top 3 most watched programmes when on.

    Regarding the new Doctor if it isn’t Richard E Grant as a twist Benedict Cumberbatch post Star Trek Into Darkness is probably too much on the cusp of a fully fledged movie career to be in the running even if he were interested.

    If they were to go for a black actor then I keep thinking of one like Idris Elba who was in Luther and Prometheus though he is supposed to also be doing 4 new episodes of Luther.

    In Star Trek DS9 nobody kept dwelling on the fact that Captain Sisko (Avery Brooks) was black.

    Reply
  • Dalek Smith

    June 9th, 2013 - 6:14am

    what do you think booboo?

    Reply
  • The Moffat Paradox

    June 8th, 2013 - 11:44pm

    The doctor is a male of his species as distinct from Time Ladies like Romana and the Ranni.

    Wouldn’t be suprised as has been suggested here if because the Great Intelligence entered the Doctor’s time stream he regenerates into the form of Dr Simeon:RIichard E Grant who has of course unoficiailly played the Doctor.

    It would be interesting as well if the Doctor and the personification of the GI (if it survived entering the Doctor’s time stream) were played by the same actor.

    Reply
  • Tardis’nt

    June 8th, 2013 - 10:41pm

    Nooo way. Never gonna happen. I tink the bbc know that this would kill the show.

    Reply
    • Tardis’nt

      June 8th, 2013 - 10:41pm

      *think

  • Richard

    June 8th, 2013 - 8:36pm

    I’d love to see Keeley Hawes play the part, not because she’s pretty, but she’s got a presence & a certain look that would really work in the part

    Reply
    • dalek eternal

      June 11th, 2013 - 3:06pm

      i wouldnt mind if phillip glenister became the dcotor and keeley was his companion

  • drjakeyoung

    June 8th, 2013 - 5:22pm

    Don’t fix what is not broke.

    I personally would not mind a black doctor who but I don’t think it would please the majority of the fans.

    I mean, imagine a remake of “Shaft” played by a white female?

    I have nothing against white females but I feel the “Shaft” characters cultural roots are black and is best played by a black male actor.

    Racism doesn’t come into it.

    Reply
  • the astronaut of death

    June 8th, 2013 - 1:15pm

    I have been think and looking at all the actors who I would think would make a good doctor and these are the two I have got so far

    benedict cumberbatch

    russle brand

    Reply
  • Dr Tom

    June 7th, 2013 - 11:21am

    The new Doctor has already been announced hidden in plain sight!It will be John Hurt for the next series until the new show runner picks his man/woman.

    Reply
    • annon

      June 7th, 2013 - 5:18pm

      new dr should be will young after his perfomance as esme in caberet hes perfect . eccentric hypo .

  • Doctor fan

    June 7th, 2013 - 5:55am

    I really want a ginger doctor

    Reply
    • RORY DOCTOR RIVER POND

      June 7th, 2013 - 4:55pm

      same!

    • eddy

      June 7th, 2013 - 6:14pm

      not being ginerest, but i don’t think that would be good

    • greyzinychimp

      June 7th, 2013 - 6:47pm

      i would love that (:

    • MasterKasterborous

      June 7th, 2013 - 7:28pm

      I don’t see how that would make any difference eddy?

    • Anonymous

      June 8th, 2013 - 11:40am

      I can kind of see where Eddys coming from, if the Doctors ginger it will ruin the whole ‘still not ginger’ thing.

    • MasterKasterborous

      June 8th, 2013 - 2:58pm

      But that’s such a tiny aspect of the show; when you could get a the best actor for the role who is ginger…

    • ROCKSTAR

      June 10th, 2013 - 9:00pm

      The last doctor should be ginger

  • Anonymous

    June 6th, 2013 - 10:25pm

    Doctor who is the best thing on TV. Don’t ruin it. 🙁

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      June 9th, 2013 - 12:47am

      not according to viewing figures

    • Anonymous

      June 9th, 2013 - 9:22am

      As long as they are selling lots oof merchindise than the bbc will continue to make rhe show

    • Anonymous

      June 11th, 2013 - 1:51pm

      Nahhhhhh there already buying into new formats for Saturday night’s but all you Dr who fans keep telling your sleds merchandise sales actually matter BBC will only get a small cut anyway,Dancing on Ice sold loads in tour tickets and it’s been axed Dr who will soon be next

    • MaxP

      June 12th, 2013 - 1:04am

      If you had a showrunner that didn’t try his hardest to write stories that only hardcore fans can appreciate (and even then only just) then of course it’ll be axed! But if they got a new one that made stories in a more traditional manner with less pretentious wibbly wobbly time travel wierdness then it would be great again.

    • American Doctor Who Fan

      June 12th, 2013 - 6:09am

      Doctor Who has very high ratings and the BBC has said that it is in no danger of being cancelled. Have you even seen the Live+7 ratings?

    • American Doctor Who Fan

      June 12th, 2013 - 6:10am

      The ratings are super high, and they are growing tremendously in the UK.

    • American Doctor Who Fan

      June 12th, 2013 - 6:10am

      I meant the US.

    • Anonymous

      June 13th, 2013 - 11:52pm

      In the UK the BBC is reaching crisis point with some of its programm doctor who included the storys are to complicated for an average viewer to understand.The BBC can not confirm a series will be safe until they renew its contract and with competition from The X Factor this year the anniversary ratings will fall

    • andy tate

      June 14th, 2013 - 7:41pm

      Doctor Who has 75 millon fans world wide and is a massive international money spinner for not just the Beeb but the old classic doctors who Conventions and that is a conservative estimate taken from the Beebs and fan site stats it may even be as much as 85 million and climbing it will not be cancelled anytime soon

    • Anonymous

      June 14th, 2013 - 10:21pm

      So it pulls in 85million viewers on BBC One then does it? No more like 3million which does put it at risk seen as though ITV has such a strong Saturday night line-up with The X Factor and The Jonathon Ross Show the BBC will have to do a bit more than dr who to beat there viewing figures

  • RYCBAR123

    June 6th, 2013 - 9:58pm

    I’m a female so that rules out being sexist, okay? I just want to say, a female doctor would ruin the flow of the show. I don’t care that the doctor usually has female companions, either. But I’ve grown up with 10 & 11 being guys. Everyone that watches this show has grown up with guys as the doctor. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. 🙂

    Reply
  • drjakeyoung

    June 6th, 2013 - 8:58pm

    does it make me raciest or sexist to just want to keep the tradition and have a white middle aged English guy as the doctor? Like that past 50 years of the show have had? I don’t think it makes me that, i just want to keep the tradition.

    Reply
    • Dalek: the Supreme

      June 6th, 2013 - 11:15pm

      I can understand not wanting a female Doctor, but what’s wrong with a black Doctor? As long as he’s a good actor, I wouldn’t mind a black Doctor.

    • Dalek: the Supreme

      June 6th, 2013 - 11:16pm

      And we’ve had older men like William Hartnell and Jon Pertwee as well as younger men like Peter Davison and Matt Smith as the Doctor.

    • Mels

      June 7th, 2013 - 7:58am

      I think people are seriously overestimating the ‘changes’ that would occur if the Doctor was female and/or another race. The Doctor is still going to be the Doctor, regardless of who plays the part. He/she will still get up to the same shenanigans and have the same familiar adventures. If a woman plays the role, she is not going to paint the TARDIS pink and spend episodes clothes shopping. >_> It will be business as usual.

      I don’t think people here are being intentionally racist or sexist at all, no. They just want the ‘familiar’ which is enjoyable and comforting. I’m just saying that no matter who fills the role, Doctor Who will not change at it’s core. After a couple of episodes you’ll probably wonder why you were so worried. :p

    • RYCBAR123

      June 7th, 2013 - 8:14am

      I agree with Dalek. The premise if Dr Who is that The Doctor changes appearance, not gender. He could be an old black guy for all I care, as long as he stays a GUY.

    • drjakeyoung

      June 7th, 2013 - 8:51am

      Don’t fix what is not broke.

      I personally would not mind a black doctor who but I don’t think it would please the majority of the fans.

      I mean, imagine a remake of “Shaft” played by a white female?

      I have nothing against white females but I feel the “Shaft” characters cultural roots are black and is best played by a black male actor.

      Racism doesn’t come into it

  • You know WHO

    June 6th, 2013 - 7:39pm

    The Doctor was created as a white, male. He should not change race or gender. That is not raciest or sexist,lots of things have changed in Doctor Who since 1963, but that is one thing that should defiantly stay the same.

    Reply
    • Dalek: the Supreme

      June 6th, 2013 - 11:16pm

      I can understand not wanting a female Doctor, but what’s wrong with a black Doctor? As long as he’s a good actor, I wouldn’t mind a black Doctor.

    • MasterKasterborous

      June 7th, 2013 - 7:32pm

      *cough* Melody was white *cough* Mels was black *cough* River was white *cough*

    • Anonymous

      June 9th, 2013 - 9:25am

      Just because you don’t want a black doctor that does not make you racist. Fans want a sense of continuaty

    • andy tate

      June 14th, 2013 - 7:55pm

      It was in the Troughton Episode wargames that we were informed that Time lords could choose their appearance the time lords intended to Change the Doctor and exile him on earth but the Doctor refused to choose his next regeneration and so the time lords did it for him and turned him into Jon Pertwee.

      This is why the Doctor has been a white male the Time lords chose that and that is how he has stayed.

      When Mary Tamm regenerated into Lalla Ward, Lalla had played a princess in the previous episodes when Lalla’s Romana regenerated she was not dying or near the end of that particular regeneration, Time lords can stay in one persona until they are old ( as did the first doctor)and die naturally then they regenerate into a younger version.

      When Lalla’s Romana appeared to Tom Baker’s Doctor in the TARDIS he commented on the fact that she had chosen to regenerate in the form of the Princess to which Lalla’s Romana replied that she found the form pleasing.
      The Master has also chosen his regenerations and gone as far to invade a body with his essence in order to destroy and regenerate that body
      So unless the destruction of the time lords has moved the goalposts the doctor will continue to regenerate into a white male but since the Time lords are essentially dead all bets here could be off!

  • DaveyBoy

    June 6th, 2013 - 4:00pm

    Firstly, the new Doctor won’t be a woman because River Song is still knocking about. I very much doubt the BBC will want full-on lesbian snogging at 6:30 in the evening. Secondly, the new Doctor won’t be old. Young, attractive people dominate TV these days and an older actor would compromise the lucrative American market in particular, where the BBC is always striving for more success (cos that’s where the money is). And lastly, the new Doctor won’t be a big name. Big names would command a higher fee, not to mention the role would jeopardize any other big acting role in films cos Doctor Who is pretty much a full time job. So, we’ll basically be getting a young, attractive, male, relatively unknown Doctor.
    One other important point is that the new Doctor MUST appeal to kids. Without a young audience Doctor Who is nothing, and both Matt Smith and David Tennant were brilliant when it came to being liked by children.

    Reply
  • ROB STATE

    June 6th, 2013 - 12:38pm

    Only non doctor who fans – would even contemplate a female doctor. the idea is awful. he is a time lord, he changes appearance, NOT GENDER!!! it was only because of a jokey comment tom baker made years ago that people are even thinking such nonsensical things.

    Reply
  • MaxP

    June 6th, 2013 - 4:01am

    I’d wager he’ll be black before he becomes a woman, most definitely!

    Reply
    • Dingleberry

      June 6th, 2013 - 10:01pm

      I’ve come to the beginning of the threads to post this as this seems the most appropriate place. We could certainly tolerate a black male Dr. If the Dr became female this family would no longer watch the series. Our suggestion if there is to be a change – Idris Elba. He’s British and grew up in Canning Town, East London, and is very versatile.

    • MaxP

      June 7th, 2013 - 1:04am

      Excellent choice. But still I’d prefer him to remain white, just as I’d prefer characters like Marvel’s Blade & Black Panther (off the top of my head) to remain Black.

    • andy tate

      June 14th, 2013 - 7:58pm

      Nick Fury was originally a White Guy!

  • Sandra

    June 6th, 2013 - 3:21am

    The Doctor definitely must be a man. (but if it had to be a woman, Patsy would be great!)

    Reply
  • Anonymous

    June 5th, 2013 - 9:51pm

    Michael jacksn daughter culd be doibng it

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      June 6th, 2013 - 12:53am

      Well she clearly isn’t too happy about it.

  • Anonymous

    June 5th, 2013 - 8:22pm

    Well if the Doctor does regenerate into a female doctor it will change WHO forever and I will never watch it again but (not being racist) if its a black doctor i don’t care as long as he is a male and really its stupid having female doctor because for 50 years we had 11 male doctors and on gallifrey i think he was born a male and should always stay a male so I hope the next doctor will be a male and also didn’t the doctor always wanted to ginger? well this time he might be lucky we might get a ginger doctor for once because i’m sick of tired of the doctor having brown, blone, etc, etc hair but really I think a female doctor wouldn’t work.

    Reply
    • KORSAIR

      June 6th, 2013 - 4:24pm

      If the doctor turns female I’ll give up on it and it will lose a great percentage of fans worldwide.

  • Anonymous

    June 5th, 2013 - 8:09pm

    I think that doctor who has become too politicly correct.

    No I am not racist Im just stating my opinion

    most of the historical stories have to have a black or asian person other wise watchdog groups will moan and they have to pretend that the nasty parts of history never happond

    Don’t let censors ruin doctor who

    Reply
  • symone

    June 5th, 2013 - 7:20pm

    i reckon i should be the doctor because im a female im mixed race and i have an afro therefor i have acting experience under my belt i dance and sing so thats a bonus doctor who needs a doctor that is a different gender and different colour and a cool hairstyle ive always wanted to be in this programme

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      June 5th, 2013 - 7:40pm

      your jokeing arn’t you?

    • Anonymous

      June 6th, 2013 - 4:21pm

      Sorry but how does you Afro mean you have acting experience? Or have I misread?

    • drjakeyoung

      June 6th, 2013 - 8:52pm

      how does making you a female or mixed race make you a good actor either?

    • Dalek: the Supreme

      June 6th, 2013 - 11:21pm

      I think she assumes because she has an afro like two Doctors (The Bakers) she’s a good actor like both of them.

  • Anonymous

    June 5th, 2013 - 7:15pm

    I think that doctor who has become too politicly correct.

    No I am not racist Im just stating my opinion

    most of the historical stories have to have a black or asian person other wise watchdog groups will moan and they have to pretend that the nasty parts of history never happond

    Don’t let censors ruin doctor who

    Reply

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