Next Doctor Who Actor Favorite Shoots Down Season 14 Casting Rumors
Lydia West, a fan-favorite actress to be the next Doctor Who, has addressed the rumors that she has been cast in the upcoming season 14. The long-running BBC science fiction series follows the adventures of a Time Lord known as the Doctor, a being who uses a time-traveling police call box known as the TARDIS and helps save people around the universe with their shifting roster of companions. The Doctor has the ability to regenerate form whenever they are in grave physical danger. Since the reboot seasons began running in 2005, the Doctor has been played by Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi, and finally Jodie Whittaker, the first female Doctor of the series.
It has been officially announced that Whittaker is exiting the series, leaving the role open for a brand new person to play the Doctor in season 14. There is also going to be a regime change behind the scenes, as current showrunner Chris Chibnall will be stepping down in favor of Russell T. Davies, who was the original showrunner in 2005 and previously left the series after 5 years. While many names have been batted around as fans speculate who the next Doctor will be, one recent favorite that has emerged ahead of the pack is West, an actress who has previously collaborated with Davies on his series Years and Years and It's a Sin.
On Twitter, BBC journalist Lizo Mzimba shared a clip from an interview with West conducted recently. West was asked once more about her rumored casting in Doctor Who. She responded with gratitude that people want her to do it, but she confirmed that "I’m not the next Doctor." Read the full quote below:
Well, it’s such an iconic role. I’m not the next Doctor, but it’s amazing that my name is being associated with it and I just feel honored with everything that’s happened in the last couple of years. It’s a real privilege.
Unfortunately, it seems that the search is still continuing or, at any rate, if the new Doctor has been cast they have refused to officially announce it at this point. Whittaker's official final performance in the role will be in the third and final special of 2022, coming later this year. The special will feature Doctor Who companions Vinder, Kate, Tegan, and Ace, and will probably be the moment they officially announce the new Doctor after Whitaker's version of the character goes through her regeneration.
For the moment it just seems that Doctor Who fans will have to wait until the big reveal of the next Doctor. West's statement wasn't performed with the coyness of Marvel stars who know they can't say anything and deny rumors with a twinkle in their eye, like Andrew Garfield when he denied his involvement in Spider-Man: No way Home. She flatly refuted the rumors, so fans will have to scrounge around yet again for a potential new favorite.
Source: Lizo Mzimba