Doctor Who star John Barrowman has chimed in on who could replace Jodie Whittaker when she departs the long-running sci-fi drama, suggesting that It's A Sin star Olly Alexander would be a "wonderful" choice.

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Barrowman returned to Doctor Who during its 12th revived season as well as for the most recent festive special, reprising the role of Captain Jack Harkness, who was also the focus of cult classic spin-off Torchwood.

Since the start of the year, rumours have been circulating that the 13th Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker, could regenerate in the next season and usher in a new era of the popular show.

While the BBC have not commented on these reports, that hasn't stopped fans from suggesting which actors they would like to see take on the iconic role next.

One of the names that has cropped up is Alexander, who recently worked with former Doctor Who showrunner Davies on Channel 4's It's A Sin, which explores the harrowing AIDS crisis of the 1980s.

Speaking on ITV daytime show Lorraine, Barrowman said: "'Olly would be amazing, and I think he would make a wonderful Doctor."

The casting would be another major milestone for the series if it were to go ahead, making Alexander the first openly gay actor to play The Doctor, just as Whittaker was the first woman to take on the role.

Davies has also expressed his support for the idea, telling SFX earlier this week that Alexander would be a "marvellous" choice to star in future seasons.

Doctor Who is currently filming its 13th revived series, which will be comprised of only eight episodes due to the pandemic, with Whittaker and Mandip Gill returning while comedian John Bishop also joins the Doctor Who cast.

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Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.

Authors

David Craig
David CraigSenior Drama Writer

David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.

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