Doctor Who has been missing from our screens for a year now, but it’s soon set to return with its annual Christmas special, followed by season 10 which will air in spring, 2017. Peter Capaldi returns as the Doctor once more, but there is currently a lot of speculation over whether this season will be his last. Showrunner Steven Moffat will step down after the 2017 Christmas special, and despite Capaldi’s revelation that he’s been asked to stay on as the Doctor under incoming showrunner Chris Chibnall, he has yet to confirm that he will do so.

Given that season 10 will mark Capaldi’s third full season behind the controls of the TARDIS, plus rumors that the BBC want Chibnall to start his tenure with an entirely clean slate, it seems logical that Capaldi will indeed be saying goodbye in a year’s time - but who could replace him? Speculating on who might be stepping into the Doctor’s shoes is always a fun thing to do. Could they be male, or female? Young, or older? Would the BBC want a well known actor or a complete unknown? Well, one person the fans seem very keen to see take on the role, is Eddie Redmayne.

The Oscar-winner has starred in such critically acclaimed films as Les Miserables, The Theory of Everything, and The Danish Girl, and he is currently taking the Wizarding World by storm as Newt Scamander in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - so you’d think with all this global success, he might not care for a role in a family TV drama. However, this is Doctor Who, and Redmayne is all for it.

Talking on Radio 1 in the U.K. (via Flickreel), Redmayne responded to the online fan petition and many comments, calling for him to be the next Doctor. Far from laughing it off, or dismissing the idea altogether, Redmayne seemed entirely delighted by the suggestion:

“Would I do it? Yeah! It’s a great show. I do see the resemblance. I see the scarf, I see the coat, I see the bow tie. I’m also a huge fan of those actors, I love Matt Smith. I suppose the briefcase [in Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them] has a TARDIS vibe to it – so yeah!”

Fans of both Doctor Who and Fantastic Beasts have heralded his turn as Newt Scamander as being his audition for Doctor Who, tweeting with the hashtag #CampaignForRedmayne. Indeed, there are many similarities between Newt and the Doctor, from the quirky dress sense, to the uncanny ability to attract drama, and the two characters have been on screen together in a recent charity sketch. Redmayne has proven over again his ability to play a slightly bumbling, awkward, but lovable character. He’s also a proud Brit, and Doctor Who is a British institution, so could it happen?

Well, unless Redmayne took a hefty pay cut, and somehow managed to fit in filming Doctor Who and the remaining films in the Fantastic Beasts franchise, and whatever else he might be up to, it’s unlikely. But he would make an awfully good Doctor, wouldn’t he?

The Doctor Who Christmas Special airs on Christmas Day, 5:45pm on BBC1 in the U.K and on BBC America at a time yet to be confirmed. Doctor Who season 10 airs in spring of 2017.

Source: Radio 1 (via Flickreel)

  • Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Release Date: 2016-11-18 Fantastic Beasts Release Date: 2016-11-18 fantastic beasts and where to find them 2 Release Date: 2018-11-16 Fantastic Beasts 2 Release Date: 2018-11-16