Doctor Who writer Mark Gatiss has called for the next Doctor to be a woman as the show searches for Peter Capaldi’s replacement, scheduled to debut this Christmas.
Mark Gatiss has penned this coming week’s The Empress of Mars
Speaking to the Press Association, the Sherlock co-creator said:
“I would love it to be a woman, I think it would be marvellous, not through pressure of political correctness but it sort of just feels like it’s time. I think it would just be great. The show is not the new kid on the block anymore.”
And Mark believes that such a move would bring in new fans rather than alienate long-term viewers:
“It’s been back for 12 years and I think it would just be really thrilling, but a lot of people disagree but I just think, why not…? there’ll be lots of new fans who won’t be [complaining]. And also the old fans who complain will definitely not stop watching it”
Outside of his Doctor Who work, Mark os perhaps best know as the co-creator of Sherlock alongside Steven Moffat
Gatiss’ opinion certainly holds weight with fans, having written his first Doctor Who novel, Nightshade, in 1992. Gatiss has since written 9 episodes of the ongoing series, including The Empress of Mars, which airs this coming Saturday.
With filming set to begin on the 2017 Christmas Special while Series 10 is still being broadcast, speculation is mounting as to whether a new Doctor has already been cast and when an announcement will be made.
Hell no! The Doctor needs to be male so the strong female companions can continue. I’ve been a fan since 1963 but a female doctor would be the end of the series in short order.
Names linked with the role include Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Kris Marshall, Richard Ayoade, Natalie Dormer, Luke Treadaway and Sacha Dhawan, with outsiders such as Ben Whishaw and Richard Madden also mentioned in sections of the press.
Hayley Atwell, a fan favourite choice, ruled herself out of the part last week, as did Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
Reports from April suggested that Kris Marshall had already been cast in the role and would debut at the end of the current series, not during the events of the forthcoming Christmas Special.
Doctor Who returns this coming Saturday with The Empress of Mars, airing at 7:15pm on BBC One and 8/9c on BBC America.
do we really believe they don’t already know exactly who the next Doctor is?
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Isn’t it Kris Marshall?
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No …….just no
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He would…
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Mark.Gattist you. are really not a True DOCTORWHO diehard your way off even suggesting a Female Doctor no respect for the Original
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Yeah. He’s only written a few episodes and actually been in it. Its not like he’s even got any right to an opinion, is it?
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well Cold War had the Ice warriors more like The Thing. but that’s not The True to the Original
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it’s about time he says for female yet Doctorwho for over 5oyeats Totally successful as Timelord man traveling As he always has since 1963
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Missy is a Time Lord yes?
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yes heard this before and Romana a Timelord
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yes The Master a Timelord
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I’m not saying I disagree with you, Tim. It’s more your poorly worded assertion that MG can’t be a die hard Dr Who fan because that happens to be his opinion. Spoiler alert- he is.
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Not content with writing some poor stories, now he comes out with this!
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Mark. it’s been clear they won’t casting a Woman Doctorwho so stop this talk
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I hope you are correct
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Matt Fitch yes he is correct. The bbc said it won’t happen.
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Sexy AND smart…
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Nothing against Mark Gatiss, but I don’t see how this is going to help his cause, exactly.
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he doesn’t make any suggestions….it’s all well saying there should be a lady doctor but who then?… https://t.co/o7bR9Vvk9T
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NO FEMALE DR WHO A BIG NO NO
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The Do tor must be male..A female Doctor will be SO wrong
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I’m sorry, I’m all for equal rights and all that bullshit but making the DOCTOR a female would kill the show all together, and we don’t want that cause this is the only good show left for the BBC
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No no no no no no no no no no no
STOP IT already. There’s nothing wrong with keeping the Doctor male. There’s no need for a change.
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No
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No female Doctor ever! Stop posting this annoying nonsense!
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NO EFFING WAY….the death knell for the show
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Who ???
No pun intended ….
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Stop banging on about this. the answer is NO No NO. No woman, Got it? NO NO NO. I also do not believe that BBC would leave casting late, Someone right now knows they are the next doctor but is contracted to keep their mouth shut.
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No. I don’t wanna see a female doctor
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Mark STFU.
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Mark Gatiss is a little used to dragging up, he did it all the time with the League of Gentlemen
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Never…would be the very end of Dr who some things are sacred and though I am all for equality and such like the Dr..must be true to the original idea following on the traditional role..he is after all a timelord…not a timelady lol
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The next doctor is a male actually
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Mark Gatiss this, mark gatiss that,
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I don’t think, it’s a good idea. But it seems, they must try it to realise that for themselves… then it will be over eventually and the fuss will stop…
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Don’t tell me, the story arc would then have Bill getting a crush on the new Doctor and we have a repeat of the 10/Rose will they won’t they.
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everytime theyve remade something iconic or continued something iconic and made the lead a female, its ruined it. im all for equal rights and females having main lead roles, but no.
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Ghostbusters did that and PU did it stink!!!
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exactly what i meant aha
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What’s wrong with the doctor being a male?There’s plenty of great roles in tv and the movies for women.
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Wont watch if they do
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No Kris Marshall plus the thirteen doctor isn’t gonna be female
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Why is everyone so against Kris Marshall? I’d love to see him be the doctor.
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so would I he’s a brilliant actor
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He did death in paradise
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This stuff is silly, they’ve already cast Kris Marshall, probably. Capaldi has already shot his regeneration so they’ve already cast 13
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The misogyny is real when you flip out when one of the show’s more prolific writers suggests the idea.
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Nooooo…this will end the show…for me anyway…ridiculous nonsense…
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Let’s ruin a successful formula. Because inequality! If you don’t complete the arbitrary diversity quotas YOU’RE RACIST, AND SEXIST!
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The BBC said no to this. They said they know they would lose fans if they even went in that direction. Why are we bringing it up still? It works for the master as Missy because the Master is a secondary character. Again if they want a female timelord then do a spin off.
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Sorry but that would be the beginning of the end.. Leave well alone please & that comes from a female!
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Do you think they are still searching??? Dr who has always been a man !!!!!
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NO
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So people can handle the Master changing sexes, but not the Doctor? It’s somehow acceptable for the villain, but a deal breaker for the hero? Absurd. To all the concerned detractors, my wish and prayer for you is that a female Doctor is the worse life event you’ll ever have to suffer.
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Hell no! The Doctor needs to be male so the strong female companions can continue. I’ve been a fan since 1963 but a female doctor would be the end of the series in short order.
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NO, NO, FUCKING NO!
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No it wouldn’t.
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Michele Gomez was a waste of a brilliant Doctor.
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Yes… The next 007 too should be Jane Bond!
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I don’t understand people on the verge of panic over the Doctor being female. There have already been two examples of gender swapping regeneration on the show and the sky has yet to fall. We have openly gay and bisexual characters and it soldiers on. What exactly are these people afraid of? The actress I would like to see take the role is the lead in “Chewing Gum”. Her name escapes me at the moment, though.
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I love Gatiss, but he needs to shut his commie mouth on this. Donna Noble, Clara Oswald, Me and Jenny are still out there. Use them properly.
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If they cast a woman it would be interesting it depends on the actress and the age range they would go for. I think it would give a longevity and broaden the audience for a bit. You could do one series like Eccleston if you pick an actress of the same caliber and it could be really really good then go back to a male actor. My choice if you go for a male actor though would be Tom Mison who’s just finished playing Ichabod Crane in Sleepy Hollow, great performance he’s British and known to American audiences and about right age for the role and could do another 4-5 years easy. My other choice for taking over The Master would be Jonathan Reyes Myers who played Henry 8th in The Tudors think he would be good villain.
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No
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https://t.co/6r3w6vIcxy
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Yeah
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Yawn. Clearly feels he needs some column inches just before his latest average episode airs.
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https://t.co/3UA1oSNSdm
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To have a female doctor would totally change the dynamics of the show. Cause right now it’s a show about a grumpy old mad man who ran away from his duties and responsibility we need more timeless like romonna. And this gender swapinng crap needs to stop.it is not cannon to the show just something slapped in so they could explain a female foctor
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Have the perfect choice. @Marina_Sirtis
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