007 is perhaps one of the few characters to have changed his face almost as often as our favourite Time Lord. This constant change of lead actor has led many fans of both franchises to speculate that James Bond may, in fact, be a Time Lord himself and that each new actor is merely a different regeneration of the spy. While this theory is certainly a fun one, it is, of course, nonsense and the subsequent replacement of each Bond actor is merely a way of keeping the franchise going. This first came about when Sean Connery left the character due to behind the scenes politics and thus, the precedent was set for decades to come. In much the same way, when William Hartnell was unable to continue playing the role of the Doctor, he was replaced with Patrick Troughton, the only difference being that they explained this change on screen and thus regeneration became a mainstay of the Doctor Who universe. The fact that both characters, franchises and fandoms have existed in a similar way for 50 years is absolutely mind boggling and to have our screens - both large and small - graced by such superb acting talent is one of the things that has contributed to the global successes of both productions which is certainly understandable. While James Bond and the Doctor may have more than their fair share of contrasts, their similarities certainly shouldn't be ignored. Both are wonderful emissaries for the incredible inventiveness and sheer imagination of the British people and continue to enthuse and inspire people all over the globe. What did you think of this list? Are there any other similarities between the Doctor and James Bond that should have been included? Let us know in the comments section below.
