Jodie Whittaker reveals it took 'months of auditions' to land coveted Doctor Who role

The actress made her Doctor Who debut at Christmas
Long process: Jodie Whittaker has revealed she had 'months of auditions' for the Doctor Who role
Steve Schofield/BBC/PA Wire
Natasha Sporn16 January 2018

Jodie Whittaker has revealed she went through “months of auditions” before she officially became the thirteenth Doctor.

The Broadchurch actress was confirmed as Peter Capaldi’s replacement in July 2017, becoming the first woman to ever take on the role.

However, while speaking to Doctor Who magazine, Whittaker revealed that sealing the coveted part wasn’t as simple as just having one or two auditions.

Whittaker was first seen in the famous TARDIS at the end of the Christmas episode as Capaldi bid a fond farewell to the show and the Doctor regenerated.

She admitted that her debut scene may have been the first time she’d been the Doctor on set but it certainly wasn’t the first time Chris Chibnall had seen her as the lead.

The actress explained: “I mean, it was the first time he'd seen me as the Doctor in costume, on the set, but we'd rehearsed, and before that I'd been through a few months of auditions.

"So Chris's main note was to trust my instincts – 'they've been right so far, and they've got you here today. Just remember that',” added Whittaker.

Whittaker also confessed that her first scene in the long-running show was filmed just a day after the major announcement, which was made after the Men’s Wimbledon Tennis Final last year.

"I think the announcement happened so they could get me to the TARDIS set to do the regen without it being leaked. If I'd been seen in Cardiff, being taken to Roath Lock, it would have been very obvious that I was playing the part!,” she said.

Doctor Who will return to BBC One later this year.

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