The Daily Mirror is reporting that many Dr Who fans, known as Whovians, are decidedly unhappy about the 13th Doctor Who. The fact that she is a woman may have something to do with it, and the new actor for the role was announced after the Wimbledon Men's final.
To label Whovians as sexist is perhaps a little unfair as the Doctor has always been a man and many probably wish it to stay that way. None the less Jodie Whittaker is the new Doctor, and she has admitted she kept news of the role secret. Going under the pseudonym of 'Clooney' she kept her new acting job secret until the very last minute even from her husband and agent.
Peter Capaldi, the current doctor, has given Whittaker his backing and he thinks she will make a great Doctor Who.
Is the BBC wrong in picking a woman?
Fans of the long running series are threatening to boycott the show and refuse to watch because the Doctor is a woman. Certainly, if fans switch off in their droves it will impact viewing figures, and this was already the case with Peter Capaldi.
This is similar to when rumours were doing the rounds that Idris Elba could be in the running for Bond. This caused a storm amongst ardent Bond fans saying that the character of Bond is a white man and should stay that way. It was not out of anything racist it was because Bond is a white role and some thought it would be like portraying John Shaft as a white man.
The BBC says it is committed to diversity and that's fine however tampering with something like Dr Who could be asking for trouble. Somethings should be left alone, and Dr Who is is one of those things judging by many Dr Who fans at least.
Maybe fans are pre-judging Jodie Whittaker known for roles in 'St Trinians' and 'Broadchurch' featuring ex-Doctor Who David Tennant.
Perhaps it will feel strange to have a female Doctor Who but maybe fans should give her a chance.
Doctor Who has a massive following around the world and perhaps the Beeb should have consulted fans before installing Jodie Whittaker. Whittaker takes on the role after Christmas, and the ratings for this show will be interesting to see if they reflect the disillusionment of some fans.
Dr Who: A tried and trusted format
Dr Who has been running since the early 60's, and people from all ages returned each Saturday to watch the Timelords adventures. Battling such favourites as the Daleks and Cybermen, it kept audiences on the edge of their seats for years.
The most successful Doctor of late has been David Tennant, and the BBC will be hard pushed to find someone as popular as him. Since he left the show, it has struggled to get the popularity it had with Tennant in the role.
The show in appointing a female Doctor and allowing for more diverse people to be represented could either make or break the show.
