Change Is Great for Doctor Who, and Jodie Whittaker Is Proof | TV Guide

They had Doctor Who on public television over here, so I have been watching since I was about 10. When I found out the Doctor would be a woman, I’m not ashamed to say, I was in tears.

Whittaker: As was I. I really cried when I found out, and I’m not ashamed. But it’s important because for us — I’m 36, and when I was growing up, all of my heroes on TV and film, the parts I wanted to be doing, were not the ones that looked like me. They were the ones that were on the sidelines. The girls who were clapping at the side and waving at the boys, who were doing all the fun bits of action and having the heroic moments. I didn’t want to be restricted in my professional career or in my imagination because other people thought women couldn’t do certain things.