3 days ago
Doctor Who shouldn't be a woman, Billie Piper once said
Billie Piper – Ncuti Gatwa 's apparent replacement – once rejected the idea that Doctor Who should ever be played by a woman.
The actress, who was unveiled as the BBC show's titular character in the series finale on Saturday night, had previously called it 'a man's role'.
Russell T Davies, the Doctor Who showrunner, first pitched the idea of a woman taking on the lead role in 2005, when the sci-fi show was revived.
But Piper was originally opposed to the move, telling Hello! magazine in 2009: 'I don't think the Doctor should be a woman. Forgive me, I know it's not a feminist thing to say, but it's like saying, 'Let's make James Bond a woman'. It's a man's role.'
She later appeared to have a change of heart, giving an interview to the BBC in 2017 in which she said she felt it was time to cast a woman in the role.
Piper told the broadcaster: 'I think it would be great [to have a female Doctor] given the spirit of the world at the moment. I think it would be timely.'
The 42-year-old first appeared in the series as the companion to the ninth Doctor in 2005, playing Rose Tyler alongside Christopher Eccleston 's Time Lord, and then again to the 10th Doctor, played by David Tennant.
On Saturday, she appeared in the show to replace Gatwa, who leaves Doctor Who after two seasons, arriving on screen with the words 'Oh, hello!'.
Piper said: 'It's no secret how much I love this show, and I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse as I have some of my best memories there, so to be given the opportunity to step back on that Tardis one more time was just something I couldn't refuse, but who, how, why and when, you'll just have to wait and see.'
Shortly after the finale aired, the actress shared a post on Instagram holding a rose with the caption that read: 'A rose is a rose is a rose !!!'
Since Piper left the Whoniverse, she starred in the ITV series Secret Diary of a Call Girl, and portrayed the Newsnight producer Sam McAlister in Netflix's Scoop, which told the behind-the-scenes story of Emily Maitlis's interview with the Duke of York.
Gatwa's time on the show came to an end on Saturday following speculation that he had been axed after he pulled out of hosting Eurovision and the sci-fi series being dogged by accusations of wokeness.
Rumours were rife that he had dropped out amid controversy over Israel's participation in the contest, but there was no confirmation that was the case.
Born in Rwanda before moving to Scotland, Gatwa said: 'You know when you get cast, at some point you are going to have to hand back that sonic screwdriver and it is all going to come to an end, but nothing quite prepares you for it.
'This journey has been one that I will never forget, and a role that will be part of me forever.
'There are no words to describe what it feels like to be cast as the Doctor, nor are there words to explain what it feels like to be accepted into this iconic role that has existed for over 60 years and is truly loved by so many across the globe.'
The finale also saw Jodie Whittaker, the 13th Doctor, make a guest appearance as Gatwa's Doctor appeared to be travelling through alternate universes.
The credit at the end of the programme said: 'Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor. Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor. And introducing Billie Piper.'
Whittaker, the first woman to play the Time Lord, announced in July 2021 that she would depart after three series of the sci-fi show.
