In spite of their past work together on Broadchurch, landing the Doctor Who role was no nod of the head from new showrunner Chris Chibnall to new Doctor Jodie Whittaker.
Whittaker, in an interview with Rolling Stone, admits that she auditioned against others for the role, eventually prevailing and being revealed as the new guise of the Time Lord in July.
“I have no idea who, but I know I was up against other actresses”, she confirmed to Rolling Stone. “It was very much that [Chris Chibnall] was auditioning people for the first female Doctor”.
Naturally enough, it’s not known just who Whittaker was auditioning against. The speculation at one stage was that Fleabag star Phoebe Waller-Bridge was in the running for the role, but she denied she was the new Time Lord. More Fleabag is now on the way.
Jodie Whittaker debuts her take on the Doctor – albeit briefly – in Twice Upon A Time, on Christmas Day.