Mark Gatiss thinks a female Doctor would be "fantastic" for Doctor Who
The Sherlock co-creator believes a woman would bring a whole new audience to the adventure in space and time
Peter Capaldi's done it. Paul McGann's done it. And now Mark Gatiss has offered his support for the campaign to have a female Doctor lead the charge in the 11th series of the Doctor Who revival.
Within hours of Capaldi announcing his departure from the show, fans were already speculating about whether or not the 13th Doctor could be a woman – and Gatiss told Simon Mayo he thinks it'd be "fantastic".
"I think it’d be really good for the show" he told Mayo on his BBC Radio 2 show. "It’s been back for 12 years which means it’s not the new kid on the block anymore, it’s not a revival, it’s been back for a long time."
"It’s the sort of thing that would bring an amazing new audience to it," Gatiss continued, "I think it’d be fantastic. But who knows, it’s up to Chris Chibnall."
Should Doctor Who's 13th Doctor be a woman? Have your say...
Gatiss admitted he knew Capaldi's exit was coming, but didn't realise he'd hear about it on Jo Whiley's show.
"I was very sad because I think he’s been absolutely brilliant," he said, "but I guess he’s going with Steven Moffatt so there’s a sort of symmetry to it, isn’t there?"
And as for Gatiss, will he continue to write for Who when Moffatt leaves?
"I don't know. I don’t live in Cardiff and I don’t have a permanent position around the table," Gatiss explained. "It’s one of those moments, you don’t know what’s happening".
