Jodie Whittaker
On 16 July 2017, Whittaker was announced as the Thirteenth Doctor in the science fiction television series "Doctor Who"; she is the first woman to play the title role. She had previously worked with incoming "Doctor Who" showrunner Chris Chibnall on "Broadchurch". She admitted that she had to "tell a lot of lies" after being cast to keep the information secret and used the codeword "Clooney" when talking about the role. She urged fans not to be afraid of her gender, saying ""Doctor Who" represents everything that's exciting about change. The fans have lived through so many changes, and this is only a new, different one, not a fearful one." Chibnall said that he always wanted a woman for the part and that Whittaker was their first choice.
Doctor Who (series 12)
The twelfth series of the British science fiction television programme "Doctor Who" is set to premiere in early 2020, with filming for the series having commenced in January 2019. The series will be the second to be led by Chris Chibnall as head writer and executive producer. This series will be the twelfth to air following the programme's revival in 2005, and will be the thirty-eighth season overall. The series was preceded by a New Year's Day special episode, instead of the traditional annual Christmas Day special.