Jodie Whittaker is now a worldwide name thanks to shattering the glass ceiling (literally) by being cast as Doctor Who‘s Thirteenth Doctor, the first actress to play the Time Lord. However, her connection to the series could have extended back even further if things had originally gone to plan.
Whittaker’s revealed that she was initially almost cast in a guest role in Matt Smith’s first season as the Eleventh Doctor back in 2010. The star confirmed the interesting “what if?” scenario in an interview with The Times. She admitted that she couldn’t remember what role she was up for, but we don’t suppose she holds any grudges for missing out on that part, seeing as she currently runs the show.
So, Whovians, it’s now your job to work out what role Whittaker might have played in season 5. Radio Times has put forward a few good suggestions, saying perhaps she was in contention for the alien vampire lady from “The Vampires of Venice,” or even Sophie, the girlfriend of James Corden’s character Craig in “The Lodger”? Or, maybe she could have played distressed mother Ambrose in “The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood”? Which, funnily enough, was written by new showrunner Chris Chibnall.
It’s interesting to think how things might have changed if Whittaker got this earlier part but, in reality, it probably wouldn’t have mattered much if the actress had already appeared on the show. After all, Peter Capaldi had already shown up opposite David Tennant in 2008’s “The Fires of Pompeii” and he was later cast as the Twelfth Doctor. Like on that occasion, all it would have taken was a quick line about the Doctor subconsciously borrowing a face from her past to explain away the dual casting.
Eight years on from her first brush with Doctor Who, Jodie Whittaker will finally make her mark on the show when season 11 kicks off on Sunday, October 7th.
