WHO’S JODIE?

PRIOR to being unveiled as the first woman ever to play Doctor Who’s title character, Jodie Whittaker was most widely known for her starring role as the mother of murdered Danny Latimer in Broadchurch.

Already a recognisable face to millions of TV fans, the Yorkshireborn actress is now a household name thanks to her historical casting in the sci-fi series.

Adept at performing as a wideranging number of characters, the 36-year-old has portrayed Anne Hathaway’s best friend in One Day, an abused lover in the time-travel film A Thousand Kisses Deep and as Rupert Everett’s dappy blonde secretary in both St Trinian’s films.

Born in June 1982 in the village of Skelmanthorpe 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 was joined by actresses Hayley Atwell and Michelle Dockery. She also met her husband, American actor Christian Contreras, at Guildhall. They married in 2008 and welcomed their first child in 2015.

A keen footballer and squash player as a youngster, Whittaker is a huge cricket fan.

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 (2006) alongside Peter O’Toole.