Doctor Who: 14 Actors Who Will NEVER Be The 14th Doctor

As Jodie Whittaker's time as the Doctor comes to an end, journalists across the UK are regularly slotting in whichever actor's name they can think of into their "...to Replace Jodie Whittaker?" headlines. Bookmakers, meanwhile, are offering all sorts odds on the likes of Lydia West or Omari Douglas. Let's be honest though, a lot of the suggestions are pure fantasy casting. Any actor in the limelight is a potential Doctor in the eyes of the UK tabloids. During the last series of Line of Duty, both Vicky McClure and Kelly McDonald were in the frame to take over from Jodie Whittaker.

Neither actor has been mentioned again since the show finished. It's a game everyone likes to play in the run up to a new Doctor, and there's obviously no harm in it. Well, the only harm is drawing focus from the incumbent Doctor as they head towards the emotional climax of their era.

That's the weird thing about Doctor Who regenerations; we're sad to see someone go but simultaneously excited for what happens next.

So, let's have a bit of fun with it, burst the speculative bubble a little and whittle down who the next Doctor won't be...

A lot of people want more from Jo Martin's Fugitive Doctor, with many suggesting that she take on the role of the next Doctor. Hate to break it to you, but it's never going to happen.

From her first appearance to (presumably) the centenary special later this year, she has always been intended to return some mystery back to the character of the Doctor. Having a whole era to herself would strip away any of the enigmatic appeal of her incarnation.

Jo Martin is terrific, but like John Hurt she's destined to be an incarnation that reflects how far the Doctor has come since her mysterious origins. Not only that, but can you honestly see Russell T Davies, who oversaw an era of Doctor Who as "the man who never would" launching his new era with a gun-toting Doctor?

Don't worry, I'm sure she'll keep Big Finish in material for decades to come.