Doctor Who: 10 Actors Who Could Play The Sixteenth Doctor
9. Suranne Jones
Suranne Jones is already a familiar face to Doctor Who fans thanks to her unforgettable performance in The Doctor’s Wife, where she played Idris, the living embodiment of the TARDIS.
In that episode, the TARDIS is characterised much like the Doctor: frenetic, warm, and at times, sombre. We’ve already practically had an episode of Jones playing the Doctor in Doctor Who, and it’s brilliant.
She's also a staple of British TV outside the Whoniverse, and has showcased fantastic range and versatility. Her most iconic role in Doctor Foster sees her play a scorned wife navigating betrayal and revenge, a performance that doles out authority and vulnerability in equal measure – a tough balancing act, but one that Jones rises to.
Recent years have also seen her take the starring role in Vigil, in which she finds herself thrown into a very Doccy Who premise: solving a murder mystery on an active military submarine! She’s also shown that she can muster some wit and swagger in Gentleman Jack as Anne Lister, a character with more than a little of the Doctor’s mischief.
Jones has already proven her capability as a leading lady and is a recognisable face in British prime-time TV, without reaching the heights of stardom that are untouchable to Doctor Who. Casting her would probably make for a slightly more conventional Doctor, albeit one with some serious acting ability, but perhaps that’s what we need right now.