Doctor Who star Jodie: It feels like a moment
Jodie Whittaker has said the significance of becoming the first female Doctor Who has not been lost on her.
The Broadchurch actress stars as the 13th Doctor when the new series starts tonight on BBC One.
“Obviously I can only describe it from my own personal experience, but I appreciate it as a ‘moment’ in television and in film and for British culture,” she said.
“At the end of the day, though, women are not a genre,” she added. “We are the other half of the population.
“So to see us doing things like this shouldn’t be such a surprise. It is a moment, and I’m part of it and I’m proud of it, but I can’t wait for it not to be a moment as well.”
After some initial jitters, she is gradually easing into the famous time traveller role.
“There are the natural nerves you have with any job you do that you are passionate about,” said Whittaker.
“Cut to the responsibility of those shoes to fill and I would be absolutely lying if I said I didn’t feel it.
“But once you have done your first set-up for your first scene and it’s tattooed on film forever, you’re like ‘Ah, it’s not that bad!’”
The first episode, appropriately named The Woman Who Fell To Earth, will see Ms Whittaker joined by Bradley Walsh, Graham O’brien and Mandip Gill.