Amid the whirlwind of landing the role of a lifetime, something that reduced the former Broadchurch actress to tears, incoming Doctor Who star Jodie Whittaker has taken a moment to give thanks to the show’s “loyal” and “wonderful” fan base.
While appearing on ITV chat show Lorraine (via DoctorWho.tv) to promote her new drama series, Trust Me, it wasn’t long before Whittaker began fielding questions on both Doctor Who‘s Christmas Special, “Twice Upon a Time,” and the upcoming season 11, which is expected to light up BBC One in the latter stages of 2018.
That festive treat will see Peter Capaldi’s Time Lord reluctantly join forces with the original Doctor, before the show’s iconic regeneration process leaves the TARDIS open for Jodie Whittaker to enter the fray and make Doctor Who her own. That transitional period is something the actress touched on during her interview with Lorraine, revealing that:
It’s got a huge audience and a huge fan base, a loyal wonderful fan base, but maybe this [the casting of the first female Doctor] will open it up to some new young faces that haven’t necessarily been introduced to it yet. There’s so much to watch and catch up on that it doesn’t matter what age you come into it.
Working within such a respected and indeed established franchise is something that Whittaker isn’t taking lightly, and here, the actress reveals that she’s completely overjoyed by the opportunity at hand.
You’ve got this wealth of amazing television to watch. And to be part of that is, as I’ve said many times, really emotional and overwhelming, completely overwhelming! You can’t get a job like this and not be knocked sideways by it.
It’s a bittersweet send-off that has been long on the cards, but on December 25th, “Twice Upon a Time” will signal the end of Peter Capaldi’s tenure as Doctor Who. In his stead, the incoming Jodie Whittaker will assume the role of the show’s Thirteenth Time Lord, while showrunner Steven Moffat (Sherlock) is expected to hand over the torch to Chris Chibnall.