Despite rumors swirling for decades about a female Doctor happening inDoctor Who, the BBC avoided it until Jodie Whittaker’s run as the Thirteenth Doctor. As thefirst female Doctor, Whittaker was failed by showrunner Chris Chibnall, whose controversial “Timeless Child” storyline drastically changedDoctor Whocanon. Still, as the first woman to play the Doctor, Whittaker herself was praised for her fun, fresh take on the Doctor, her warm, lively personality bubbling through as one of themost empowering female TV characters of the decade. So to say the first run of a female Doctor was a mixed bag would be accurate.
That’s not to sayDoctor Whohasn’t come close to a female regeneration- it has, a few times. But it never panned out, for various reasons, though arguably the real reason has never been given publicly. For a show that’s as long-running asDoctor Who, it’s been hard to understand the reasoning behind why it sticks to tradition in some areas and deviates wildly in others. Sadly, one of those waysDoctor Whostuck to tradition was in the Doctor’s gender, which lasted far too long – though not for lack of trying from some of the people behind the scenes.
Tom Baker Wanted A Female Doctor All The Way Back In 1980
The British Tabloids Ran With It
While the British tabloid press often speculated about who would be cast as the next Doctor (usually without any evidence),rumors of a female Doctor didn’t really kick into high gear until 1980. That was when Tom Baker, the Fourth Doctor actor, announced he was leaving the show and set speculation swirling. Speaking about upcoming exit and why, he explained three seasons was enough and said, “It’s time for me to let another man - or woman for that matter - have a go. After all, there’s no reason why Dr. Who should always be a man.” The British press ran with it, withDaily Expressrunning the headline “And Now For Miss Who?” in its July 26, 2025 edition. (viaBleeding Cool)
Why One Doctor Who Companion Was Shocked By A Female Doctor
Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor was a huge step for Doctor Who’s inclusivity and even managed to shock one classic companion upon his return.
It was after a different Baker’s run thatDoctor Whogot the closest to a female Doctor before Whittaker, however. Colin Baker played the sixth incarnation of the Doctor, and when he left,Doctor Whoco-creator Sydney Newman was the one to suggest a woman. Newman’s idea was to have the Second Doctor actor, Patrick Troughton, come back for a one-off season stint before regenerating into a female incarnation. The show got so far as considering three actresses for the role:Frances de la Tour, Joanna Lumley, and Dawn French.
BBC Avoided A Female Doctor For Several Reasons
The Explanations Given Never Added Up
However, the idea was dashed after Newman clashed with BBC’s Head of Drama, Jonathan Powell, and their meeting went so poorly the plans were scrapped. Instead, Sylvester McCoy was cast as the next incarnation of the Doctor. Three years later,the first run ofDoctor Whowas canceled due to declining viewershipand the show having grown stale, a sign that Newman had been right to want to shake up the long-running program.
One has to look a little askance at that explanation when the right person had somehow never been a woman in almost 50 years.
Still, there was plenty of time between then and Jodie Whittaker’s run to cast a female Doctor. When the show was resurrected in 2005, again, a woman got close to being cast as the new Doctor. This time,it was Dame Judi Dench, but ultimately, the role of the Ninth Doctor went to Christopher Eccleston. Later, when questioned why he’d also never cast a woman to play the Doctor,then-Doctor Whoshowrunner Steven Moffat awkwardly claimed, “I didn’tnotcast a woman, I cast a man. I didn’t [cast a woman] because I wanted to cast Matt Smith and I wanted to cast Peter Capaldi. I didn’t think it was a terrible idea, I just thought, ‘I want to cast those people’ – that was it.” (viaBBC Radio 4)
On paper,the tired “right person for the job” excuse has always been given as the reason for never having cast a womanas the Doctor before Jodie Whittaker. In reality, one has to look a little askance at that explanation when the “right person” had somehow never been a woman in almost 50 years. It’s just a shame that whenDoctor Whofinally had the guts to cast a woman as the Doctor, her run was undoubtedly tarnished and damaged by showrunner Chris Chibnall’s wildly divisive and largely disliked time as show head. Maybe it’s timeDoctor Whofinally taps a female showrunner, too.
Source: Bleeding Cool, BBC Radio 4
Doctor Who
Doctor Who: Doctor Who is a British sci-fi television series debuting in 1963, following The Doctor, a time-traveling alien Time Lord. The Doctor explores the universe in the TARDIS, accompanied by companions, confronting various adversaries and striving to save civilizations while addressing injustices.
