In just a day now Doctor Who fans will learn the identity of the 13th Doctor. The bookmakers have been taking bets ever since Peter Capaldi first announced his departure in January, and a whole host of names have appeared in the many months since.
We looked at the line-up in the early days, now it’s time to look over the current top 5 as we approach the big reveal.
A recent entry, and a surprise riser this week. Has someone in the know let on, encouraging a flutter like with Capaldi in 2013? Whittaker has worked with incoming showrunner Chris Chibnall on Broadchurch so there’s a possible connection.
The My Family star has been the longest-rumoured favourite due to an early betting surge and his curiously timed exit from BBC’s Death in Paradise. However Marshall has seemingly denied it.
Waller-Bridge has been a frontrunner for almost as long as Kris Marshall. Like Jodie Whittaker, she has worked with incoming showrunner Chris Chibnall on Broadchurch. But she appeared to rule herself out in recent weeks despite a curious interview.
Another Broadchurch-er, Rosenthal’s name appeared back in April. The actor and comedian responded to rumours on Twitter in June stating “For those asking if I’m the next Doctor Who unfortunately I have to keep it under wraps for my friends’ Betfair accounts.”
Harewood is an old favourite, who cropped up on lists like this back in 2013, not to mention already guesting on the show in 2009. The fact Harewood has a rather busy filming commitment on Supergirl these days though appears to rule him out.
Vicky McClure, Tilda Swinton, Michaela Coel, Andrew Buchan, David Tennant, Ben Whishaw, Tom Ellis, Natalie Dormer, Richard Ayoade, Alexander Vlahos, Maxine Peake, James Norton, Richard Rankin, Olivia Colman, Paterson Joseph, Hayley Atwell, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Andrew Scott, Sacha Dhawan, Ben Daniels, Danny Dyer, Domhnall Gleeson, Eddie Izzard, Gwendoline Christie, Harry Lloyd, Helena Bonham Carter, Idris Elba, Jason Flemyng, Kathy Burke, Sheridan Smith, Zawe Ashton, Rupert Grint, Russel Tovey, Richard Madden, Miranda Hart, Rory Kinnear, Adrian Lester, Colin Salmon, Lara Pulver, Reece Shearsmith, Alice Eve, Benedict Cumberbatch, Eddie Redmayne, Frances de la Tour, Ioan Gruffudd, Michelle Gomez, Alex Kingston, Andy Serkis, Billie Piper, Damian Lewis, Dan Stevens, Hugh Bonneville, James Corden, James Purefoy, Robert Carlyle, Stephen Fry, Sue Perkins, Chris Addison, David Dawson, Iwan Rheon, Colin Morgan, Aneurin Barnard, Carey Mulligan, Damien Molony, Daniel Kaluuya, James Frain, Tom Hardy, Alexandra Roach, Craig Roberts, David Morrissey, David Walliams, Dominic Cooper, Gemma Arterton, Matt Smith, Catherine Tate, Michelle Dockery, Tom Hiddleston, Martin Freeman, Daniel Craig, Hugh Laurie, Sean Pertwee, Suranne Jones, Alan Davies, Ben Chaplin, Christian Cooke, Christopher Eccleston, Daniel Mays, Daniel Radcliffe, David Thewlis, Dominic West, Ewan McGregor, Gerard Butler, Helen Mirren, James McAvoy, James Nesbitt, Jason Statham, Mathew Horne, Matt Berry, Richard Armitage, Richard Coyle, Sharlto Copley, Simon Pegg, Stephen Mangan, Jeremy Corbyn, Richard Mylan, Mathew Baynton, Luke Treadaway, Amanda Mealing, Cush Jumbo, Dev Patel, Emma Watson, Freema Agyeman, Jack Davenport, Jennifer Saunders, Joanne Froggatt, John Hannah, Larry Lamb, Maisie Williams, Martin Clunes, Michael Socha, Navin Chowdhry, Noma Dumezweni, Philip Glenister, Rebecca Root, Sam Heughan, Sam Troughton, Tim Roth, Tom Hughes, Will Mellor, Paul McGann, Bertie Carvel, Daniel Rigby, Michael Sheen, Rhys Ifans, Chiwetel Ejifor, Nicola Walker, Steve Pemberton.
