FROM ST TRINIAN’S TO THE TARDIS

Most widely known for her starring role as the mother of murdered Danny Latimer in Broadchurch, Yorkshire-born actress Jodie Whittaker has become the first woman to take the lead role in Doctor Who.

Adept at performing as a wideranging number of characters, the 35-year-old has portrayed Anne Hathaway’s best friend in One Day, an abused lover in the time-travel film Harmony and as Rupert Everett’s secretary in both of the recent St Trinian’s films. Born in June 1982 in Huddersfield, Whittaker dreamed of becoming an actress as a teenager. After leaving school at 16, she completed a Btec in performing arts before attending Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she met her husband, American actor Christian Contreras .

She left drama school in 2005 for a part in Storm at Shakespeare’s Globe theatre, and subsequently won her first film role in Venus alongside Peter O’toole.