page_title: Doctor Who (series 11)
section_title: Casting
hierarchical_section_title: Doctor Who (series 11) / Casting
caption_attribution_description: English: Jodie Whittaker speaking at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California.
context_page_description: The eleventh series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who premiered on 7 October 2018 and concluded on 9 December 2018. The series is the first to be led by Chris Chibnall as head writer and executive producer, alongside executive producers Matt Strevens and Sam Hoyle, after Steven Moffat and Brian Minchin stepped down after the tenth series. This series is the eleventh to air following the programme's revival in 2005 and is the thirty-seventh season overall. It also marks the beginning of the third production era of the revived series, following Russell T Davies' run from 2005–2010, and Moffat's from 2010–2017. The eleventh series was broadcast on Sundays, a first in the programme's history, after regular episodes of the revived era have previously been broadcast on Saturdays.
  The series introduces Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, a new incarnation of the Doctor, an alien Time Lord who travels through time and space in her TARDIS, which appears to be a British police box on the outside.
context_section_description: The series introduced Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor. Her predecessor Peter Capaldi departed from his role as the Twelfth Doctor after the tenth series, having played the role for three series. His final appearance was in the 2017 Christmas special, "Twice Upon a Time". Moffat stated in February 2017 that Chibnall tried to persuade the actor to continue into the eleventh series, but despite this, Capaldi still decided to depart.
  The search for the actor to portray the Thirteenth Doctor, led by Chibnall, began later in 2017, after he completed work on the third series of the ITV series Broadchurch, for which he is also the head writer and executive producer. Chibnall had the final say on the actor, although the decision also involved Charlotte Moore and Piers Wenger, the director of content and head of drama for the BBC respectively. On 16 July 2017, it was announced after the 2017 Wimbledon Championships men's finals that Whittaker would portray the thirteenth incarnation of the Doctor.
  After the tenth series concluded, it was confirmed that neither Matt Lucas or Pearl Mackie would be reprising their roles for the eleventh series as companions Nardole and Bill Potts. Consequently, the eleventh series introduced a new set of companions, including Bradley Walsh, Tosin Cole, and Mandip Gill as Graham O'Brien, Ryan Sinclair and Yasmin Khan, respectively. Walsh had been a favourite for the role since rumours of his casting began in August 2017. Actress Sharon D. Clarke also has a recurring role throughout the series as Graham's wife Grace.
  On 8 March 2018, Alan Cumming announced that he had been cast as King James I in an episode of the series. On 25 March, comedian Lee Mack stated that he would make a brief appearance in one episode. Shaun Dooley also appears in the series. In a "Coming Soon" vignette during the closing credits of the premiere episode, "The Woman Who Fell to Earth", a number of guest actors appearing in the remaining episodes of the series were shown: Mark Addy, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Shane Zaza, Shobna Gulati, Brett Goldstein, Josh Bowman, Siobhan Finneran, Lois Chimimba, Susan Lynch, Hamza Jeetooa (credited as Hamza Jeetoa), Art Malik, Suzanne Packer, Vinette Robinson, Amita Suman, Ben Bailey Smith, Phyllis Logan, and Chris Noth.
caption: Whittaker at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con, where she promoted her first full series.
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