The NEW DR WHO!!

I like Jodie Whitaker. I have really enjoyed her work in film from 'Venus' opposite Peter O’Toole and 'Attack The Block', which probably stands as the first film my children turned me on to, through to her work on television from 'Marchlands' to 'Black Mirror' and up to 'Broadchurch' and now 'Dr Who' where she has just been announced as the 13th incarnation of the Doctor from Gallifrey 

Now I have watched Dr Who since the start with William Hartnell and amongst the 18 actors (count them*) who have played him officially thus far.  I of course have my favourites with Tom Baker right up there but have enjoyed Sylvester McCoy, Jon Pertwee, Matt Smith, Patrick Troughton, Chris Eccleston, John Hurt, David Tennant, Peter Capaldi especially and perhaps less so fond of Peter Davidson and Colin Baker but I was looking forward to discovering who was to play the new doctor. Knowing that it was likely to be a woman, I was hoping for Joanna Lumley (who has already tried the role albeit for Comic Relief!) or someone with suitable gravitas as well as the chops to be interesting say like Victoria Coleman. I could even see a strop line in which River Song (Alex Kingston) were reincarnated buy some intergalactic fluke as the new Dr or even the female half of the Master/Missy (the excellent Michelle Gomez) came back as him too.  I am however overjoyed with the choice of Jodie and the one thing I will say is all those already saying they are jumping ship and will not watch it. You are prejudiced and bigoted and are cutting your nose to spite your face. Why would you prejudge something without having seen it? (that is after all the definition of prejudice) Let’s wait and see hey?

 I for one am looking forward to the next step and also hope for the continuance of ‘Nardole’ as portrayed by the wonderful Matt Lucas who for me would have been my chance to take the role of the Doctor as I find him mesmerising in his role. It is far far more worrying that Stephen Moffat is to go, who for the Capaldi exit series returned to form throughout with the possible exception of the last episode which IMHO tried to cram way too much into one finale rather than spin it across say a further three episodes to get to the same place as it proved scrappy and untidy and over packed with complexity. However to the new team I say one thing. 

Bring it on people.

*William Hartnell

Patrick Troughton

Jon Pertwee

Tom Baker

Peter Davison

Colin Baker

Sylvester McCoy

Paul McGann

Christopher Eccleston

David Tennant

Matt Smith

Peter Capaldi

Jodie Whitaker

plus 

John Hurt - War Doctor

Richard Hurndall - as Hartnell’s Dr or No 1

Michael Jayston

Geoffrey Hughes

Toby Jones

David Bradley - as Hartnell’s Dr or No 1

      I could be persuaded that the Comic Relief Drs count as well coming from BBC as they do but they are to   

      be considered 'outside the show' so haven't included them, or have I? and that's quite another argument 

      so that would add Joanna Lumley, Richard E. Grant, Hugh Grant (no relation). Jim Broadbent  

      and Rowan Atkinson