Jodie Whittaker has opened up about her time on Doctor Who and the advice she gave to her successor Ncuti Gatwa before she left the show
Jodie Whittaker revealed she sent a four-word warning to Ncuti Gatwa when he was announced as her successor on Doctor Who. Jodie, 42, played the Timelord between 2017 and 2022. She admits she sent Sex Education star Ncuti a “s**** tonne” of WhatsApp messages ahead of him taking the role.
Jodie is reported to have made a “three series and out” deal with showrunner Chris Chibnall, who also left in 2022. And while she admits she left “on her own terms”, Jodie still felt “grief-stricken” afterwards.
Doctor Who star Jodie Whittaker (Image: James Pardon/BBC Studios)
In an interview with The Times, she shared the advice she gave to 32 year old Ncuti: “I still can’t believe my time is over. I was absolutely grief-stricken when it ended, even though it was my choice. I felt like I’d given myself 20 papercuts.”
“I loved it so much. But oh my God, the lines are so hard to learn!”
Since leaving Doctor Who, Jodie has been busy with roles in a six-part Australian TV series One Night on Paramount+, the BBC prison drama Time, and more recently, the Netflix hit Toxic Town. The latter, based on the Corby toxic waste case, has been a critical success, boasting a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The future of Doctor Who appeared to be in jeopardy following the departure of Jodie Whittaker, with recent rumours suggesting that the iconic series might face cancellation by the BBC. However, these claims have been robustly refuted by the broadcaster, reports Yorkshire Live.
A spokesperson clarified to The Mirror: “This story is incorrect, Doctor Who has not been shelved. As we have previously stated, the decision on season 3 will be made after season 2 airs.
“The deal with Disney+ was for 26 episodes – and exactly half of those still have to transmit. And as for the rest, we never comment on the Doctor and future storylines.”
Meanwhile, on a different note, Jodie Whittaker is set to grace ITV’s The Jonathan Ross Show tonight at 9.20pm (March 8). She’ll join a star-studded line-up including comedian Daisy May Cooper, Top Boy sensation Ashley Walters, while musical entertainment comes courtesy of Nova Twins.
