Yahoo Finance 'Doctor Who' Star John Barrowman Says He Hopes the Next Doctor Will Be Trans
Doctor Who actor John Barrowman has spoken about his hopes for the future 14th Doctor, revealing that he would be keen to see a transgender or "gender non-specific person" take over the role when current Doctor Jodie Whittaker leaves.
Whittaker, who has played the Time Lord since 2017, has not confirmed when she plans to depart the show, but there has been some press speculation that she may bow out after the 13th series, due to air later this year, following in the footsteps of several other actors who have played the Doctor for three series.
Regardless of whether the Doctor regenerates again this year or at another point in the future, fans have begun discussing who could be next to take on the iconic role. Actor Barrowman, who plays Captain Jack Harkness in the Who-niverse, has now had his say, revealing that he is hoping for the show to "make another leap" when they cast the next Doctor.
"I'd love to see a transgender Doctor. I think that would be awesome," Barrowman told Metro.co.uk, adding that it would also be "really good" to see an "androgynous, gender non-specific person" cast in the role.
"With Jodie, they made a leap," he said, referring to her being the first female Doctor. "They made a huge leap and it worked for them, and then [it's] time for them to make another leap."
Barrowman, who is currently on our screens as a judge on Dancing on Ice, went on to say that the increasing diversity among companions on the show should be reflected in the Doctor.
"I was the first openly gay actor playing a character like Captain Jack, who we called omnisexual. He didn't care who he slept with really, and he was unapologetic about his sexuality," he said. "We have had LGBTQ+ representation on the TARDIS.
"During Peter Capaldi's reign, we had a character who was a lesbian (Bill Potts, played by Pearl Mackie). So yeah, we've had them, why not have a Doctor the same?"
Doctor Who introduced its first transgender companion last year, as Tania Bell began travelling with Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor in Big Finish audio series Stranded.
Rebecca Root, who plays Tania, revealed after her casting that "it would have been amazing to see a trans person in a show like Doctor Who" when she was growing up, adding that "gender ID was not really 'a thing'" when she was growing up in the 1970s.
Doctor Who first cast an openly transgender actor in series nine episode 'Sleep No More', in which Bethany Black played a soldier.
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