While Doctor Who toils away on Season 13, speculation has run rampant on whether Jodie Whittaker will leave the role following the upcoming season and who might replace her. John Barrowman recently threw out an interesting suggestion in It's A Sin star Olly Alexander and, following the series' American debut on HBO Max, more audiences are warming up to the idea.
Alexander recently interviewed on the UK radio program Capital Breakfast With Roman Kemp (via DailyMail) and was asked if he had been formally approached by Doctor Who about joining the show. Olly Alexander answered and shared his overall interest in taking the show's role as the 14th Doctor if that was on the table:
I mean, if I was do you think I’d be able to tell you? It’s true I am very indiscreet but my lips are sealed...I think it would be amazing...It’s an amazing role, and an amazing show.
It's no surprise Olly Alexander would be interested in the role of The Doctor, considering it's one of the most high-profile roles a European television actor can nab. Interestingly, Alexander wouldn't publicly comment as to whether or not he's spoken to anyone at Doctor Who because if the answer was no, he could say so. If the answer is yes, then he obviously wouldn't be at liberty to discuss any details or really mention it, given the show's penchant for secrecy.
Of course, Olly Alexander could've just been teasing or trying to rally up interest amongst Doctor Who fans, perhaps in an effort to make a discussion happen. As previously mentioned, the actor wasn't even really in conversation to take the alleged role until he was hyped by John Barrowman, who has popped in and out of the series as Captain Jack Harkness. Could Barrowman have put The BBC on the trail of the actor, or was his decision influenced by chatter he heard when filming the most recent special?
It's also worth noting that the series Olly Alexander is a part of, It's A Sin, is a project from a notable face from Doctor Who -- Russell T. Davies. Davies was the program's showrunner from the start of the reboot up until the end of Season 4. Davies worked alongside current Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall during that time, so there is a way in which Alexander could've been in contact with a key decision maker for the next Doctor if it was something he was interested in.
As previously stated though, the news that Jodie Whittaker will leave Doctor Who is still a rumor. With that said, no modern Doctor has remained on the show much longer than three full seasons, with David Tennant having a couple of standalone specials between the Doctor's transition to actor Matt Smith. Three seasons max seems to be the precedent but not a hard and fast rule the show must obey. In either case, it's still just a rumor for now, with The BBC refusing to comment on what Whittaker's future with the series will be beyond Season 13.
Doctor Who is working on Season 13, but fans can binge past episodes right now on HBO Max. Continue to stay with CinemaBlend for the latest speculation regarding the next Doctor, such as why one betting favorite may not be as obvious a choice for the Doctor as some are thinking.
