Jodie Whittaker has shared her own personal choice for her successor as the next Doctor when she leaves Doctor Who in 2022. Whittaker will return as the Time Lord in the 2022 New Years Day special, "Eve of the Daleks," before exiting the series alongside showrunner Chris Chibnall later in the year. The current Time Lord made her debut in Doctor Who season 11 in 2018, becoming the Thirteenth Doctor and the first ever female incarnation of the character.
Whittaker was first announced as the Doctor in 2017 at the Wimbledon Championships men's finals, before briefly appearing in the 2017 Christmas special episode "Twice Upon A Time." Fully taking up the role in season 11, Whittaker has faced familiar foes like Daleks, Cybermen and Sontarans, while uncovering mysteries about her past across her tenure. However, in July 2021, Chibnall and Whittaker announced their departure from the show, with the pair leaving following a centenary special in 2022. Former Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies will return to the position for the 2023 60th anniversary special and following seasons, and has begun holding auditions for the Fourteenth Doctor. Amid intense speculation over who will take on the role, the current Doctor has now shared her personal choice for the next Time Lord.
Whittaker was joined by co-star Mandip Gill as guests on BBC Radio 1's Going Home With Vick And Jordan (via EW), and the pair were asked questions during the "Kids Ask Difficult Questions" segment. Whittaker was asked who she would cast as the Doctor following her departure, and the actress chose It's A Sin star Lydia West. The current Doctor explained her reasoning behind choosing the actress as her successor, saying she felt West was "exciting" and "phenomenal." Read Whittaker's full response below.
"If we had the power to choose, I'm going to pick an actress who I think is really exciting and I think would be phenomenal, is Lydia West. If I had the power!"
West recently starred as Jill Baxter in the 2021 Channel 4/HBO Max co-production, It's A Sin, which was helmed by Davies. West had previously responded to fan speculation of her casting, calling it "an honor" to take on the role. West's fellow castmates have also been considered by many as the next incarnation of the Doctor, with Olly Alexander and Omari Douglas being popular choices among audiences. The actress also starred in Davies' 2019 sci-fi drama Years and Years as Bethany Bisme-Lyons, alongside Russell Tovey, T'nia Miller, Anne Reid, and Jessica Hynes, who previously guest-starred in Doctor Who.
While Davies is still searching for his Fourteenth Doctor, fans continue to speculate on who will be the face of Doctor Who in his new era. As Whittaker herself argues, West would be a perfect choice for the next Doctor, since many of her previous roles when working with Davies exemplify key aspects of the character. Jill's kindness and taking a stand for what's right against bigotry, as well as Bethany's technological expertise, are core traits that the Doctor has retained across their many incarnations. Ultimately, it would be easy to see West quickly fit perfectly into the iconic role.
Source: BBC Radio 1/EW