Is this the new Doctor Who?

Publish Date
Wednesday, 26 April 2017, 1:03PM
Photo: BBC

Photo: BBC

Peter Capaldi announced he was leaving Doctor Who last month - leaving fans to speculate who would be his replacement.

However it has now been claimed that British actor Kris Marshall (who you may recognise from the film, Love Actually) is set to take his place, and has already joined the cast on the new series, which made its debut on Saturday.

2004 National Television Awards - Pressroom : News Photo
Kris Marshall. Photo/Getty Images

The reports, which claim the Doctor will 'regenerate' in July, come just weeks after the Death In Paradise actor, 44, became the bookies' top choice for the role.

Sources told the Mirror on Friday that Kris, who made his fame as Nick on My Family, has already been selected as the new Doctor, and will begin filming imminently.

The insider said: 'Kris Marshall has already joined the cast and will regenerate at the end of this series, not in the Christmas special.'

Kris had first sparked rumours he was taking on the famous sci-fi role after quitting crime comedy Death In Paradise earlier this year, causing him to rise in the betting odds.

However while a number of other fans predicted the new Doctor to be female, the source continued that BBC producers are keen to keep a taste of the older, more popular time lords in the new casting.

The insider added: 'They won't risk a woman Doctor. They want a David Tennant type.'

MailOnline has contacted representatives of Kris, but a spokesperson for the BBC said: 'No casting decisions have yet been made on Series 11.'

Since Peter Capaldi, 59, announced last month that he was stepping down as the current Doctor Who, the rumour mill has been spinning about who will fill his shoes.

Despite initial titterings that it would be a female replacement - namely Tilda Swinton and Olivia Colman - the Death In Paradise star soon overtook the ladies in the betting stakes last month. 

In fact, so convinced were those placing their bets last month, that Ladbrokes have had to close the book.

Alex Donohue, of the betting organisation, said: 'A surge of punters have backed Marshall so we've had no choice but to close the book.'

He added, with a jaunty nod to the sci-fi series: 'If he does get the gig, the bookies will be exterminated first.'

Marshall said that he is leaving his long-running series Death In Paradise after four years on the BBC show, so that he can spend less time away from his family.

However avid BBC viewers seemed to immediately conclude that Marshall is transferring his skills as a Detective to a Doctor - and is in the running to play Doctor Who in the wake of Capaldi. 

'Maybe a coincidence but since Doctor Who needs a new lead, interesting that that Kris Marshall has now quit Death in Paradise. New doctor?' came a theory from one fan on Twitter.

Another typed 'Kris marshall should play doctor who...' as a further tweeter concurred: 'Kris Marshall will be the 13th Doctor. Calling it. He'd be perfect. #doctorwho!' 

The theory proved popular as the news spread that Marshall is leaving the role of Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman.   

Some didn't seem too keen on the idea, writing: 'If Kris Marshall is the new #DoctorWho they might as well cast a toilet brush. Dull.'

The actor had revealed on Good Morning Britain last month that the decision was made in order to spend more time with his family - after his daughter was born last year, leaving him 'bereft' while away filming in the Caribbean.

This article was first published on dailymail.co.uk and is republished here with permission.

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