David Tennant remains arguably the most popular take on the Doctor since Doctor Who returned in 2005, with his departure in The End Of Time Part II attracting around half the TV viewing audience at the moment he said goodbye. And in a new interview on The Late Show in the US, he’s been chatting about the casting of 13, who will be played by Jodie Whittaker.

“Whenever the Doctor changes, there’s a backlash because that’s a character people love”, he told host Stephen Colbert. “People get very affectionate about the Doctor they knew”, he added, recalling the backlash about his own casting when it was revealed he’d be replacing Christopher Eccleston in the role.

“You know, sure, Jodie is from a different gender than anyone who has gone before”, he said, “but that will be irrelevant almost immediately once she takes the part. It’s about finding the right performer at the right time, and that’s Jodie, without a doubt”.

Tennant has recently been voicing Scrooge McDuck in the DuckTales revival, that’s premiering shortly.

Here’s the video of Tennant’s interview…