In this day and age, embargoes and non-disclosure agreements often go hand-in-hand with Hollywood’s biggest roles – Han Solo and Captain Marvel, to name but two. And Doctor Who is no different.
Prior to the announcement of Jodie Whittaker as Doctor number 13 earlier this year, Whovians were beside themselves with excitement, as the rumor mill churned out one candidate after another. But beneath all the white noise that engulfed the BBC flagship, Whittaker had already clinched the role, and in the weeks leading up to the grand unveiling, the actress admitted that she “didn’t want anyone knowing” that she was to spearhead Doctor Who season 11.
In fact, as the former Broadchurch actress tells Stuff, Jodie Whittaker had grown comfortable with her anonymity, and maintaining what was undoubtedly the biggest secret of her career often meant telling a few white lies.
I couldn’t say anything about moving to Wales so I’d just say, ‘Oh, I’m unemployed’. But then people were also sending me stuff and going, ‘oh, you’d be great for this’, or, ‘I’ve got something for you, come in and have an audition’, and I’d have to make up the weirdest excuses. I’d be like, ‘oh, I’m not really reading scripts at the moment’ and they’d be like ‘whaaat?’
But now that all’s said and done, and the Internet has caught wind of the first female Doctor, Jodie Whittaker is ready to get stuck in.
I’m really excited to get my head down and spend some time on this and not spread myself too thin. It’s a big and exciting challenge – one that needs 100 per cent focus. I’ve certainly got a few more years left in me, I’d like to be working in my 70s and 80s. And when I look at my CV, I just think I’ve been so lucky to have had different characters and storylines to work with all the time. Obviously now, this job is going to be the ultimate.
As the Twelfth Doctor (read: Peter Capaldi) prepares to bid farewell to Whovians this festive season, “Twice Upon a Time” will also herald the grand unveiling of a female Doctor Who, before Jodie Whittaker’s Time Lord takes point for season 11 late next year.
