It's a Sin star Olly Alexander denied rumors that he will serve as Jodie Whittaker's replacement on the hit sci-fi show Doctor Who. Alexander's most recent claim to fame comes from his performance as Ritchie in the miniseries It's a Sin, which tells the story of a group of friends living during the peak of the HIV/AIDS crisis in the United Kingdom. The show has garnered much praise for its ensemble cast and unique brand of optimism even when taking on such a heavy topic. Alexander, in particular, has been praised for his acting chops, leaving viewers wanting to see him take on a myriad of different projects, including Doctor Who.
Whittaker currently serves as The Doctor on the show and has made no official statement about her intentions to leave the show. There has been a lot of speculation that she will end her run as The Doctor after the 2022 specials. Patrick Troughton, who played the second Doctor, proposed a "three-season rule," saying that actors should step down from the role after three seasons to help the show stay fresh and maintain its longevity. Most actors have followed this rule, and Whittaker would be as well if she leaves when she is rumored to. Also adding fuel to this fire is the BBC's refusal to comment on the matter, leading fans to believe that there is something to hide.
Though it has been confirmed that It's a Sin will be ending after its first season, star Alexander is not looking for his next big role. The actor and musician has released a statement putting rumors to rest that he would be the next timelord. The Years and Years frontman has made it clear that he plans to focus on his music for a while and is not looking to work on another TV show right away. In a pun-filled statement released on Instagram by agent Martha Kinn (via Deadline), she says the rumors are not true:
“Even though Olly is often contacted by Cybermen, I’m afraid I have to exterminate this speculation. As nice as it is to see interest in this story regenerate, it just isn’t true. As Ood as it might sound, Olly is focusing on his music, for the time being.”
The rumors of Alexander's unfounded tenure on Doctor Who began with speculation he was in talks with BBC execs to be the first openly gay actor to portray the timelord. Alexander initially played coy when discussing the Doctor Who rumors, joking that if he were slated to play The Doctor, he wouldn't be able to say anything about it anyway. He did say that he thought it would be "amazing." Now that his agent has made it clear that these rumors are untrue, viewers can still hold on to the fact that Alexander seems like he would be open to joining the show at some point in the future.
Much is still up in the air about the next iteration of The Doctor, including whether or not Whittaker is planning to leave after the 60th anniversary of the show. Right now, all audiences can do is speculate. No other names have gained much traction to be Whittaker's replacement. Still, after the success of the first woman to play the role, it would make sense for BBC to continue to add more diversity and representation into the show through the casting of the main character. For now, there are still many unanswered Doctor Who questions leading into season 13.
Source: Martha Kinn (via Deadline)