Jodie admits she wept after landing part as first woman to play sci-fi icon

JODIE Whittaker has revealed she broke down in tears after being told she had become the first female Doctor Who.

Speaking of the moment she learned she was about to make TV history, the 35-year-old said: “I did not faint. I played it really cool… and cried.”

The Broadchurch star was named as Peter Capaldi’s replacement last month.

She told Radio 6 Music breakfast show host Shaun Keaveny she had already spoken to some of her predecessors.

Jodie, 35, said taking on the role was “incredibly emotional because my entire life … all I ever wanted to be was be an actor and I wanted to do it because I wanted to play pretend and that is the ultimate”.

She added: “I’m about to play an alien, a Time Lord. And that as a girl? Who knew? That’s incredible and really emotional because of that.”

Jodie said getting the role was “not in the realm of possibility ever, growing up”.

She added: “I’ve been asked so many times, ‘What’s your dream part?’ and I always try to articulate something that is outside of what people tell me I can only play and now it’s like, ‘See, I told ya’.

“The people that are in these roles that we are excited about, or passionate about, or look up to, don’t always have to tick the same box and that’s what is really incredible about it.”

Jodie said she missed the online reaction to the announcement as she does not use social media. But she said friends had been sending her notable posts, including a video that went viral of a young girl overwhelmed by the news.

Jodie said she knew several of the former Doctors and they had shared what a unique experience it was, adding: “There’s only a few people who know what it’s like.

“I think the overwhelming sense of this is it is such an exciting journey you’re about to go on and it’s to be enjoyed.

“They know I don’t know yet and I think that’s the fun. There’s no advice you can give because no person plays this part the same.” Jodie said the show’s new writer, Chris Chibnall – who she worked with on ITV’s Broadchurch – would be “amazing”. She added: “I already know how incredible he is but just to know he’s coming from a fan point-ofview of the show – and so the direction he’s going to take it in is going to be amazing.”