Clara Oswald herself Jenna Coleman has hailed the casting of Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor.
Speaking at the Television Critics Association press tour in Beverly Hills, the actress, who was companion to Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor before departing the show at the end of Series 9, was there to promote the upcoming season of PBS’ Masterpiece drama Victoria, in which she plays Queen Victoria.
Coleman said:
“Oh, I love it. I think it’s genius. I think she is brilliant and lovely, and I can’t wait to hear her speak. I want to hear the voice. I think it’s very exciting times.”
It’s interesting that she mentions Whittaker’s voice rather than, say, her costume (Whittaker has already confirmed that the iconic hoodie won’t be her signature look when she boards the TARDIS at the climax of this year’s Christmas special, Twice Upon a Time). Each Doctor has their own distinctive vocalisation which isn’t necessarily their own voice and while there are differences in approach, take the goofier Eleventh Doctor and the sterner approach of Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor, there are inflections there that allow us to trace the character though all the different interpretations.
Will she keep her own accent? Will she attempt the grandeur of a character who walks in the fourth dimension? Will she attempt a Gilbert Gottfried impression? Only time will tell…well probably not with that last one.
Doctor Who returns Christmas Day with Twice Upon a Time on BBC One.