Doctor Who
Thirteen actors have headlined the series as the Doctor. The transition from one actor to another is written into the plot of the show with the concept of regeneration into a new incarnation, a plot device in which a Time Lord "transforms" into a new body when the current one is too badly harmed to heal normally. Each actor's portrayal is unique, but all represent stages in the life of the same character. Together, they form a single lifetime with a single narrative. The time-travelling feature of the plot means that different incarnations of the Doctor occasionally meet. The Doctor is currently portrayed by Jodie Whittaker, who took on the role after Peter Capaldi's exit in the 2017 Christmas special "Twice Upon a Time".
List of Doctor Who cast members
Both Capaldi and Coleman reprised their roles as the Doctor and Clara during the ninth series in 2015, with Coleman departing at the end of that year. Coleman was replaced by Pearl Mackie, who was introduced as Bill Potts. Jodie Whittaker took over the lead role of the Doctor from Peter Capaldi in the 2017 Christmas special "Twice Upon a Time". Her first series as the Thirteenth Doctor began its broadcast in late 2018. Bradley Walsh, Tosin Cole and Mandip Gill replaced Mackie and Lucas as the companions for the show.