The Whoniverse has been abuzz for some time now about who will replace Jodie Whittaker when she leaves the TARDIS for the last time later this year. Now, the actor herself has chimed in with a suggestion for her Doctor Who successor.
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While speaking with this week's Radio Times magazine ahead of the BAFTA TV Awards this Sunday (8th May), Whittaker said: "Who do I think will take over from me as the Doctor? Lydia West would absolutely smash it. But I don’t know.
"I think the joy of the role is that you don’t really know until it’s announced. And then you think, 'Yeah, of course!'"
West shot to prominence in 2019 after starring in Russell T Davies' dystopian drama Years and Years. Since then she has had roles in Dracula, Suspicion and It's A Sin, the latter of which saw her re-team with Davies.
It's a Sin friends Roscoe (Omari Douglas), Jill (Lydia West), Gregory "Gloria" (David Carlyle), Colin (Callum Scott Howells) and Ash (Nathaniel Curtis) in episode 5 Channel 4
With Davies set to return to the iconic sci-fi show he revived in 2005, West has been a bookies favourite to take the role for months now.
In fact, this isn't even the first time Whittaker has chosen West as her pick for the Fourteenth Doctor, calling her "really exciting" back in December.
Davies, meanwhile, has said that the suggestion has been "noted", while West herself has said "it would be an honour to be the Doctor. I'm glad people think I could do it!"
Whittaker will bow out from the show this Autumn, with her Doctor set to regenerate in the currently untitled Centenary Special, which will feature the returns of old friends and foes alike.
Doctor Who will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer later this year. All 13 series of Doctor Who are available to watch now on Prime Video – sign up for a Prime Video free trial.
For more, check out our dedicated Sci-Fi page or our full TV Guide.
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James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
