The internet is still reeling from the shocking news that Jodie Whittaker has been cast in Doctor Who. As the first female to ever play the iconic role of the Doctor, everyone seems to have their own opinion on it, with a vocal minority of the fanbase outraged at the decision but the general consensus still being that it’s a step in the right direction for the show. However you feel about having a woman portray the Doctor, there’s no denying that Whittaker’s a talented individual. Just watch Broadchurch for proof of that.
That’s not to say that some of the other names rumored to be in the running for the part wouldn’t have been exciting choices as well though. For instance, many were hoping to see Tilda Swinton nab the role, or even David Harewood. And then, of course, there’s Sacha Dhawan. The Sherlock actor found himself come up in many a conversation in regards to who would replace Peter Capaldi, but as it turns out, he never even got anywhere close to landing the job.
“I never actually auditioned for Doctor Who,” revealed Dhawan, speaking at the London Film and Comic Con. “I think because I’m associated with Sherlock and the Doctor Who world someone must have thrown my name in the hat. It was really nice, Mark Gatiss messaged me ‘I’ve just seen this on Twitter’, to the point where I was calling my agent saying ‘have I got an audition for this?’ No.”
Does that mean he wouldn’t be interested in one day becoming the Doctor, though? Absolutely not. The actor went on to say that he still hopes to be considered for the part in the future.
“Hopefully when Jodie finishes, I’ll get considered.I’m really happy though, it’s great. I always said it would be nice to have a female Doctor and also I know Jodie as well and she’s just fantastic and perfect for it. I’m actually gutted because before they made the announcement I heard it was gonna be Jodie and when she was announced I was ‘damn, I should’ve put a bet on!'”
With his profile quickly rising thanks to his role on Iron Fist, not to mention his existing link to the BBC through Sherlock as well as An Adventure in Space and Time, it’s entirely possible that in several years, Dhawan may find himself coming up in conversation again for Doctor Who.
For now though, we’re definitely looking forward to seeing what Whittaker can do with the part and we’ll be able to get our first glimpse of her later this year in the upcoming Christmas special.
