David Beckham, Harry Potter star hyped as possible Doctor Who replacements
- Publication: Regina Leader-Post
- Date: 2013-06-06
- Author: Andre Ramshaw
- Page: B3
- Language: English
Tom Cruise as the next Doctor Who? How does soccer gadfly and Posh Spice hubby David Beckham grab you? Those are two of the more outlandish names put forward as replacements for Matt Smith, who is handing over the keys to the Tardis at the end of the year.
British bookmakers William Hill are offering 250-1 outsiders odds on Cruise, Beckham, or talent show host Simon Cowell becoming the 12th Doctor in the popular British science-fiction series that debuted in 1963.
Joint favourites at 10-1 are Harry Potter star Rupert Grint and U.K. television actor Russell Tovey.
Other bets are Martin Freeman - the faithful Watson in Sherlock - or Ben Whishaw, who channelled his gadget geek as Q in Skyfall. Billie Piper, the Doctor's former assistant, is also tipped as a possible reincarnated replacement.
Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror is reporting that 35-year-old James Bond actor Rory Kinnear, who appeared in Skyfall and Quantum of Solace as M's chief of staff, is top con-tender to assume the Time Lord's mantle.
Executive producer Steven Moffat was non-committal. "Somewhere out there right now - all knowing, just going about their business - is someone who's about to become the Doctor," he told the BBC.
"A life is going to change, and Doctor Who will be born all over again. After 50 years, that's still so exciting."
The British press had its own ideas, with Sunday papers floating Idris Elba, the British actor who earned acclaim as Stringer Bell in The Wire; Helen Mirren, devastatingly accurate as the Queen; or veteran actor John Hurt, who was introduced as "The Doctor" at the end of the last series and will return for the 50th anniversary episode in November.
Some commentators have called for the time traveller's scarf to go for the first time to a black actor - David Harewood (David Estes in Homeland) and former So Solid Crew rapper Ashley Walters being mooted alongside Elba - or to a woman, with TV actresses Olivia Colman and Fiona O'Shaughnessy leading the charge.
Jenny Colgan, who wrote the official Doctor Who novel, told Britain's Today program that a female lead made perfect sense. Billie Piper, who played travelling companion Rose, has been suggested as a possible new Doctor.
"Anything is possible with casting," she said. "I love the fact that a woman is all we have to speculate about now. If they cast an actor of colour, nobody would even bat an eye, so I think the woman thing is the only thing left for people to get curious about."
Fan site Doctor Who Online has been fizzing with its own candidates, including the eye-catching prospect of Sean Pertwee following in the footsteps of his actor father Jon, who was Doctor number three from 1970 to 1974.
Other recruits? Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch, who was well received as the baddie in the latest Star Trek film, and Game of Thrones actor Richard Madden.
The 30-year-old Smith, who replaced David Tennant as the 11th Doctor in 2009 - and the youngest - is confident Moffat will make the right pick.
He told the BBC: "Having Steven Moffat as show runner write such varied, funny, mind-bending and brilliant scripts has been one of the greatest and most rewarding challenges of my career.
"It's been a privilege and a treat to work with Steven. He's a good friend and will continue to shape a brilliant world for the Doctor."
Jake Kanter, a writer for Britain's Broadcast magazine, said Smith will be remembered for bringing some levity to the show.
"He has been a very good Doctor and brought a bit of a lighter edge to the role," Kanter told The Independent. "However, there have been a few grumbles at the latest series, which, the general perception is, hasn't been the strongest."
THE 11 DOCTORS SO FAR:
1) William Hartnell (1963-1966)
2) Patrick Troughton (1966-1969)
3) Jon Pertwee (1970-1974)
4) Tom Baker (1974-1981)
5) Peter Davison (1982-1984)
6) Colin Baker (1984-1986)
7) Sylvester McCoy (1987-1996)
8) Paul McGann (1996)
9) Christopher Eccleston (2005)
10) David Tennant (2005-2010)
11) Matt Smith (2010-2013)
GRAPHIC: Ben Pruchnie, Getty Images; Matt Smith is stepping down from his title role as Doctor Who.; Evening Standard, Getty Images; Jon Pertwee played the Doctor from 1970 until 1974.; Warner Bros. Pictures; If Idris Elba gets the part, he would be the first black Doctor Who.; Bbc; British actress Billie Piper is being touted as a Dr. Who replacement.
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- APA 6th ed.: Ramshaw, Andre (2013-06-06). David Beckham, Harry Potter star hyped as possible Doctor Who replacements. Regina Leader-Post p. B3.
- MLA 7th ed.: Ramshaw, Andre. "David Beckham, Harry Potter star hyped as possible Doctor Who replacements." Regina Leader-Post [add city] 2013-06-06, B3. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Ramshaw, Andre. "David Beckham, Harry Potter star hyped as possible Doctor Who replacements." Regina Leader-Post, edition, sec., 2013-06-06
- Turabian: Ramshaw, Andre. "David Beckham, Harry Potter star hyped as possible Doctor Who replacements." Regina Leader-Post, 2013-06-06, section, B3 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=David Beckham, Harry Potter star hyped as possible Doctor Who replacements | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/David_Beckham,_Harry_Potter_star_hyped_as_possible_Doctor_Who_replacements | work=Regina Leader-Post | pages=B3 | date=2013-06-06 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=21 November 2024 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=David Beckham, Harry Potter star hyped as possible Doctor Who replacements | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/David_Beckham,_Harry_Potter_star_hyped_as_possible_Doctor_Who_replacements | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=21 November 2024}}</ref>
