No sooner had Matt Smith announced his intention to leave the role of Doctor Who after this year’s 50th Anniversary special, which airs in November and also features his predecessor as the lone remaining time lord, David Tennant, that speculation about who would replace him zoomed straight into hyperdrive.
While some of the suggestions put forward made quite a bit of sense (source: mirror.co.uk)- Chiwetel Ejiofor (Kinky Boots, and winner of a Laurence Olivier Award for playing Othello), Stephen Mangan (Green Wing, Episodes) and Rory Kinnear (M’s chief of staff in the Bond films, Skyfall and Quantum of Solace) who is firming as the lead candidate, others were purely fanciful speculation since it’s unlikely they would ever take up the much-hallowed role given how busy they already are.
Take Helen Mirren for example who, though she made it clear in an interview with Associated Press that she would not actually agree to play the role even if it was offered to her, loves the idea of a female doctor.
“But I think it’s absolutely time for a female Doctor Who. I’m so sick of that man with his girl sidekick. I could name at least 10 wonderful British actresses who would absolutely kill in that role.”
Another person put forward for the role, should Steven Moffat ever decide it was time for a female doctor, was Miranda Hart currently riding high as the queen of British comedy and star of Miranda and Call the Midwife.
Predictably for the self-effacing star, the news that she was not only being forward as a possible replacement for Matt Smith by some fans (she also topped a recent poll by Escentual as the woman people would most like to see in the role; ex Dr Who companion Billie Piper was second), was met with much surprise and hilarity in an interview with Heat magazine (and quoted on metro.co.uk):
“Are you serious? That’s hilarious. I’m just surprised constantly by my popularity, let alone the fact people want me to be Doctor Who.”
She wondered though if she might not be entirely the wrong choice for the role since she found the show a little too scary to actually watch.
“I started watching some recently on my own and I got scared. I had to watch it in the daytime – I’m pathetic. I might be all right if I’m in it though, and don’t have to watch it.”
Frankly I can’t think of anyone I’d rather see in the role but with the odds firming on Rory Kinnear, who was apparently anointed immediately as the go to guy for the role upon Matt Smith’s departure, it’s likely we won’t be seeing her in a TARDIS any time soon.
Miranda Hart has, it should be pointed out, had some close encounters with Doctor Who already (see below):