Doctor Who: Peter Capaldi shares the advice he's given to Jodie Whittaker
'It was lovely to speak to her and see how much affection and passion she has for the show'
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Your support makes all the difference.Later this year, Peter Capaldi will portray Doctor Who one final time, the Christmas special also marking Steven Moffat’s final episode.
As widely publicised, Jodie Whittaker will take over the iconic role, becoming the first woman to portray the Doctor (minus Joanna Lumley in the Comic Relief special).
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly at the San Diego Comic-Con, Capaldi revealed the advise he offered Whittaker following the announcement.
“I said just enjoy it because it’s absolutely incredible,” he told the publication. “She’ll be fabulous. It was lovely to speak to her and see how much affection and passion she has for the show. She’s going to be brilliant.”
Capaldi also spoke a little about the upcoming Christmas special, which will also star David Bradley as the First Doctor, originally played by William Hartnell.
“That’s the first Doctor I remember,” Capaldi said. “The show started when I was 5 years old, and I have this really distant memory of this strange, rather grumpy man in the TARDIS, but him being rather magical. For me, it was lovely. It was like full-circle.”
Meanwhile, Steven Moffat has spoken about the apparent ‘backlash’ from fans regarding Whittaker’s casting, saying: “There has been no backlash at all. The story of the moment is that the notionally conservative fandom has utterly embraced that change completely - 80 percent approval on social media, not that I check these things obsessively. And yet so many people wanted to pretend there’s a problem. There isn’t.”
Following the announcement, several places took aim at the casting with the BBC itself sassily responding to the criticism received. Despite this, it seems the majority have embraced news that Broadchurch star Whittaker will play the 13th version of the Time Lord.
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