The number 13 seems to be a lucky number for Jodie Whittaker. BBC just announced that the actress will be playing the 13th Time Lord of the long-running British science fiction show, Doctor Who. Whittaker will be taking over the role from Peter Capaldi in an upcoming Christmas special and then will take on the role fully in the 11th series, which is expected to air in late 2018. As mentioned, Whittaker will be the first female to take on the role of the Doctor throughout it 50-plus years of existence. It won’t complicate things though as it has been shown in the series many times that the Time Lords can regenerate as different genders and races. Recently, the traditional male villain The Master was re-characterized as The Mistress, who is played by Michelle Gomez.
Whittaker has starred as Beth Latimar in the ITV crime series Broadchurch. That show’s creator Chris Chibnall will also be replacing Steven Moffat as the showrunner of Doctor Who. In an interview with the BBC, Whittaker commented that "It's more than an honor to play the Doctor. It means remembering everyone I used to be, while stepping forward to embrace everything the Doctor stands for: hope. I can't wait."