Jodie Whittaker cast as Doctor Who’s first female lead

After months of earnest anticipation from fans, BBC finally announced this morning that actress Jodie Whittaker will be taking on the role of the 13th Doctor in the eleventh series of Doctor Who.

Whittaker will be the first female actress to hold the role in the show’s 54-year history. The time-traveling sci-fi show first went on the air in 1963. The 12th Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi, announced his retirement from the role in December after four years as the Time Lord.

Known to international audiences through her roles in movies like Attack the Block, Whittaker is perhaps best known as starring in the ITV crime series Broadchurch.

The announcement was made following the end of today’s Wimbledon Men’s Final and showcased Whittaker getting the key to TARDIS.  The upcoming series will likely begin airing in late 2018.