Jo Martin Was Officially Told Her Doctor Who Incarnation Is the Real First Doctor
Ever since Jo Martin’s Fugitive Doctor was unveiled in Doctor Who back in 2020, fans have wondered exactly where her incarnation fits in with the other Doctors.
Speaking about her role in the latest issue of DWM, Martin acknowledged the ambiguity surrounding her character’s place in the show’s mythology. “I think a lot of fans are really hung up on that. Quite a few want to know—where in the canon do I come? They’ll come and ask me on train journeys! I’m like, ‘Listen, you’ll have to ask Mr Chibnall, because I didn’t write this.’”
Martin’s incarnation of the Doctor was, of course, first introduced during Jodie Whittaker’s era as part of the controversial Timeless Child storyline (which massively complicates the Time Lord’s origins, to put it lightly!). Some fans assumed that her character predated William Hartnell’s Doctor, but former Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall has remained deliberately vague about the details.
Now, the actress has shared a surprising revelation: she was originally briefed that she is the actual first incarnation of the Doctor. Step aside, William Hartnell.
Martin said, “All I know is that when I took the job and they were trying to explain my Doctor to me, I was told how it was going to work—that I was the First Doctor. So, I was like, ‘Okay!’”
So that’s the end of that mystery. Or is it?
Martin reflected on the opportunity to expand the character beyond her brief appearances on television in the latest audio dramas. “It’s lovely because we can dive a bit deeper. On TV, she seemed very decisive, very strong; she’s fearless and has no hesitation. Whereas in the Big Finish audios, because we’ve got more time, we see many sides of her.”
Fans will have to wait and see if the TV series ever returns to the Fugitive Doctor’s story, but if Jo Martin is the real First Doctor, who knows what this means for the numbering. As if it wasn’t messy enough!