TV'S last Doctor Who thinks the time is right for a woman to take on the role.
Paul McGann, who played the part in the 1996 TV movie, is pushing for raven-haired Rachael Stirling, famous for her raunchy lesbian love scenes in BBC's Tipping The Velvet.
Lorraine Heggessy, the controller of BBC1, has announced that the show will return to our screens in 2005 and McGann has urged for a move away from the role's traditional headmaster-style approach.
He said: "I think it's high time that Doctor Who was a woman. There is nothing in the stories to say that the Timelord can't be female. "I'd like to see somebody really scary, Amazonian, highly intelligent and gorgeous in the role.
"Rachael Stirling could do it because she's got great charisma."
And many fans, overjoyed at the return of the series, agree.
Lee Gray said on the BBC's official Doctor Who website: "The Amazonian idea is very tempting — something like a Grace Jones Timelord.
"It would be a great idea for a companion at least."
Racy
The new show will be scripted by Russell T Davies, the writer behind the racy Channel 4 series Queer As Folk.
Richard E Grant is set to play the ninth Doctor Who in an animated series on the BBCi webcast to coincide with the show's 40th anniversary in November. But the bookies favourite for the real show is Alan Davies, star of the BBC series Jonathan Creek, who is 8-1 with bookies William Hill.
Grant is joint-second favourite with Star Trek captain Patrick Stewart at 14-1.
Cold Feet star James Nesbitt is a surprise outside bet at 20-1.
There are no women on the bookies' shortlist.
Captions: TIPPED: Rachael CHANGE: McGann
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