Place your Bets on the Next Doctor Who
The announcement of David Tennant’s withdrawal from Doctor Who overshadowed his win for Outstanding Drama Performance at the National Television Awards this past week. He beat out costar Catherine Tate although the series won the Most Popular Drama award.
Tate, who collected the Drama series award alongside Executive Producer Russell T. Davies, said "I know it’s won the award for the last three years, but I was sweating that we wouldn’t the year I joined!"
Meantime, the UK press has been in overdrive handicapping who might be the next Doctor, a game ComicMix indulged in not that long back. Tennant himself joined in the fun saying, "I’ve always been a big supporter of Wee Jimmy Krankie and I, you know, if it wasn’t me it was gonna be him, her, him. So the campaign starts here for me, to get wee Jimmy Krankie in the TARDIS and big Ian Krankie as the companion. I think that works."
William Hill, a gambling site, has offered odds on a number of actors. While we do not advocate you bet your spare cash on the outcome, not to be announced for some time we suspect, we present the list for your amusement.
WILLIAM HILL ODDS ON NEXT DOCTOR (as of October 30, 2008)
5/2 David Morrissey
3/1 Patterson Joseph
6/1 James McAvoy
7/1 James Nesbitt, Robert Carlyle
8/1 John Simm, Rhys Ifans
12/1 Anthony Head
14/1 Alan Davies, Jason Statham
16/1 Nigel Harman, Bill Nighy
25/1 Daniel Radcliffe, Burn Gorman
33/1 Stephen Fry, John Barrowman
20/1 Next Doctor To Be Female
50/1 Christopher Eccleston
While Daniel Radcliffe would be an interesting casting choice (although one I'm not holding my breath on seeing coming true), I always thought Rupert Grint (who plays Ron Weasley) would make a better Doctor. But let's face it. No one from the Harry Potter franchise is going to be available for consideration until after filming the seventh book concludes.Christopher Eccleston has never shown any interest in returning, since he only did the one season as a favor to Russell T. Davies; and as for there being a female Doctor, that could only happen if they switch the series focus onto The Doctor's Daughter for a while.
What a very white list. I think the Doctor could be black so long as it's done right. A few years ago I saw David Harewood playing Lord Azreal in the National Theatre production of 'His Dark Materials'. He could be a wonderful Doctor.The important rule is of course that the Doctor is more British than the British, so should he have a darker than usual skin that couldn't change. A 'street' doctor would be beyond awful.
Alan Kistler will be the next Doctor. Just you wait and see.
Why are there so many people on this list who can't possibly be the next doctor since they are already prominent characters in the Whoniverse? It's kind of annoying…