Doctor Who fans were sitting tight after the men’s Wimbledon game yesterday, to find out who will be playing the 13th incarnation of the Time Lord.
Doctor Who first aired on BBC Television in 1963. Since then, the Doctor has had 13 incarnations, but this is the first time the character will regenerate as a female.
When it was finally revealed that Broadchurch star Jodie Whittaker would be taking over the role, fans went into a frenzy on social media.
A fan tweeted: "My eight-year-old daughter pumped her fist and shouted, 'Yes!' when the new Doctor Who was revealed. Think that tells you all you need to know."
My 8-year-old daughter pumped her fist and shouted "yes!" when the new @bbcdoctorwho was revealed.Think that tells you all you need to know.
— David Owens (@asoundreaction) July 16, 2017
Another person wrote: "It's great...My nieces can grow up in a world with a good Wonder Woman, a female Jedi, female ghostbusters and a female Dr Who."
After the casting milestone, some people got very emotional, with one writing: "Wow. I don't even watch Doctor Who, but this made me choke up a little. I will be tuning in."
Some fans were not too pleased, and blasted the showrunners for being "too PC", claiming that the role is fundamentally male.
What these critics fail to grasp is that the show, at its very essence, is about change and progression - this is all represented by the casting of Jodie Whittaker. The original series was produced by Verity Lambert, who was also known for producing the crime drama, Jonathan Creek.
To the people saying a female will ruin the show... a reminder that women have been behind the success of this show since 1963. #DoctorWho pic.twitter.com/2KLCN1o77U
— Lewis John Yule (@LewisJohnY2) July 16, 2017
A fan on Twitter also put the nay-sayer in their place with just one tweet: “To the people saying a female will ruin the show... a reminder that women have been behind the success of this show since 1963.”
Even the sixth Doctor, Colin Baker, weighed in on the debate on social media: "The BBC really did do the right thing and let the Doctor be in touch with her feminine side. As a father of daughters - result! Change, my dears, and not a moment too soon - she IS the Doctor, whether you like it or not!"
Whether you’re happy with the new casting not, the most important point to note is that little girls are finally being represented on the show – and not just as companions.
We won’t see Jodie in action until Christmas Day, but already she has had a massively positive impact on young girls.
A woman posted a video on YouTube, showing her ecstatic daughter's reaction to the reveal. She wrote: “My daughter is a huge Doctor Who fan. She has been eagerly waiting to find out who will play the 13th doctor. Here is her reaction. Congratulations, Jodie Whittaker! It's the role of a lifetime, or 13 lifetimes! The little girl is literally jumping for joy."
The current Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi, told the BBC: “Anyone who has seen Jodie Whittaker's work will know that she is a wonderful actress of great individuality and charm. She has, above all, the huge heart to play this most special part. She's going to be a fantastic Doctor.”
Whittaker, herself, said: "I want to tell fans not to be scared by my gender. Because this is a really exciting time, and Doctor Who represents everything that's exciting about change.
She added that it was "an honour" to become the Doctor, explaining: "It feels completely overwhelming. As a feminist, as a woman, as an actor, as a human, as someone who wants to continually push themselves and challenge themselves, and not to be boxed in by what you're told you can and can't be."
