Jodie Whittaker describes Doctor Who casting as “incredibly overwhelming”

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Jodie Whittaker, discussing her new show Dear England – which follows Gareth Southgate’s years managing the England football team – recently shared that getting cast as The Doctor on Doctor Who was a deeply overwhelming experience.

Jessie Whittaker portrays Pippa Grange, who led people and team development at The Football Association between 2017 and 2019. According to an interview with The Standard, the show highlights how public scrutiny significantly affected Grange’s personal life.

Someone asked Jodie Whittaker if she’d ever felt overwhelmed during her career, and she replied that she had, particularly when she was cast as The Doctor in Doctor Who. However, she doesn’t feel like anything has ever been too much to handle, explaining that she’s still working and still here, so she’s clearly coping well.

Whittaker explained that becoming famous feels like an instant, life-altering shift, but it doesn’t stay that way. He described how actors often imagine their life will constantly be like a glamorous movie scene – specifically referencing a moment from ‘Notting Hill’ where he envisioned himself playing a character as lively and unpredictable as Rhys Ifans every single day.

I used to think people were interested in my daily life, which was probably a bit self-centered. But now, I enjoy peace and quiet when I’m out, and I’m truly happy with how things are going!

After departing the show in 2022, Jodie Whittaker has continued to play the Doctor in audio dramas and has even appeared on screen, making a special appearance to meet Ncuti Gatwa, who took over the role, in his last episode.

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Peter Capaldi, the previous Doctor, recently discussed the negative reaction some fans had online to the casting of Jodie Whittaker and Ncuti Gatwa. This reaction stemmed from Whittaker being the first woman and Gatwa the first Black actor to play the role.

Peter Capaldi defended the show’s casting choices, explaining that it’s a product of its time and generally positive, even if it’s become overly significant. He remembers watching it as a child simply as a fun ‘monster show’ and doesn’t understand why people now treat it with such seriousness.

The four-part drama Dear England, featuring Joseph Fiennes as Gareth Southgate, premieres on Sunday, May 24th.

You can now watch Doctor Who on BBC iPlayer. For a complete guide to the show, including reviews of every episode from 1963 onward, details on the cast and crew, behind-the-scenes information, and exclusive content from the TopMob archive, check out our Doctor Who story guide.

Don’t miss Doctor Who! Add it to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download the app now for daily TV recommendations and exclusive content.

Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs writes about TV dramas for TopMob, covering shows on streaming services and traditional channels. Before becoming a writer, he worked in public relations, first at a business-to-business agency and then at the international production company Fremantle. He has a bachelor’s degree in English and Theatre Studies and a Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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2026-05-16 15:34