The iconic British science fiction series Doctor Who is finally going where no man has gone before, getting its first female doctor with Jodie Whittaker who has been announced as the 13th Time Lord and the first woman given the title role.
Jodie Whittaker (35) was revealed as the new Doctor Who on Sunday night in the United Kingdom and will take over the starring role in the BBC show that is seen in South Africa and Africa on BBC Worldwide's BBC First (DStv 119).
The former Broadchurch actress will take over from Peter Capaldi after three years when the doctor, traveling through time and space, regenerates into his latest form, and will make her first appearance in the 2017 Christmas special in a few months' time.
Together with Jodie Whittaker, Chris Chibnall is taking over the reigns as Doctor Who's new head writer and executive producer with David Moffatt who is leaving. Of course the Doctor's current companion is the black lesbian woman, Bill Potts (played by Pearl Mackie).
Also keep in mind that Chris Chibnall is the creator of Broadchurch, so the new season of Doctor Who will be basically a reunion for the two jumping to the new science fiction show.
"It is more than an honour to play the Doctor," Jodie Whittaker told the BBC. "It means remembering everyone I used to be, while stepping forward to embrace everything the Doctor stands for: hope. I can't wait."
"It feels completely overwhelming, as a feminist, as a woman, as an actor, as a human, as someone who wants to continually push themselves and challenge themselves, and not be boxed in by what you're told you can and can't be."
She said "this is a really exciting time and Doctor Who represents everything that's exciting about change. The fans have lived through so many changes, and this is only a new, different one, not a fearful one."
"I always knew I wanted the 13th Doctor to be a woman," says Chris Chibnall in a statement, saying that Jodie Whittaker's "audition for The Doctor simply blew us all away. Jodie is an in-demand, funny, inspiring, super-smart force of nature and will bring loads of wit, strength and warmth to the role. The Thirteenth Doctor is on her way."
Besides a female Doctor, the new Star Trek Discovery will kick off on Netflix worldwide on 24 September and revolving around the adventures of Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham, the female first officer of the starship USS Shenzhou.
