Entertainment

Jodie Whittaker tops list of best TV talent

The top part of the list was dominated by women.
The top part of the list was dominated by women. The top part of the list was dominated by women.

New Doctor Who star Jodie Whittaker has been named the hottest television talent of 2017 in a new annual list.

The actress – who will take over the Tardis at Christmas – topped the Radio Times TV 100, which celebrates both on-camera and behind-the-scenes talent who have had an exceptional past year in British television.

Whittaker, who was announced as the first ever female Time Lord in July, won rave reviews for her portrayal of a fake doctor in BBC One’s Trust Me and starred in Broadchurch this year.

Sir David Attenborough
Sir David Attenborough (David Parry/PA Wire/PA Images)
Sir David Attenborough (David Parry/PA)

Broadcasting legend Sir David Attenborough was second, with writer, actress and Bafta winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge in third place.

The upper part of the list is dominated by women, with Line Of Duty and Westworld star Thandie Newton in fourth and The Crown’s Claire Foy in sixth. Doctor Who star Pearl Mackie was in 10th place.

Former politician Ed Balls was 18th following his stint on Strictly Come Dancing.

The Great British Bake Off was also recognised, with new hosts Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig in 19th and 21st respectively. Former winner Nadiya Hussain, who has gone on to have her own cookery programmes, was 12th.

Claire Foy
Claire Foy
Claire Foy (Matt Crossick/PA)

A longlist of names was created with the help of a panel of more than 25 television professionals, before a panel of Radio Times editors ranked the final 100.

Call The Midwife creator and writer Heidi Thomas was the highest placed behind-the-screen talent on the list, in 16th place.

The BBC One drama, which continues to attract more than 10 million viewers an episode, broadcast its sixth series earlier this year and was previously voted the best drama of the 21st century by readers of Radio Times.

RadioTimes.com editor Tim Glanfield said: “The Radio Times TV 100 celebrates television talent who have had an outstanding past year, so it is perhaps no surprise to see our Top 10 dominated by women.

Nadiya Hussain.
Nadiya Hussain.
Nadiya Hussain (Ian West/PA)

“It’s been a 12 months in which the first female Doctor was announced, some of the most talked about shows were created by incredible comedy writers and performers Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Sharon Horgan, our nation’s longest-serving monarch was immortalised on screen around the globe by Claire Foy and some of the most significant political events of a generation reported and analysed by Laura Kuenssberg on BBC News.”

:: The Top 20 in the Radio Times TV 100

1. Jodie Whittaker


2. David Attenborough


3. Phoebe Waller-Bridge


4. Thandie Newton


5. Peter Kay


6. Claire Foy


7. Sharon Horgan


8. Adam Hills


9. Laura Kuenssberg


10. Pearl Mackie


11. Kit Harington


12. Nadiya Hussain


13. Charlie Brooker


14. Jenna Coleman


15. James Corden


16. Heidi Thomas


17. Richard Ayoade


18. Ed Balls


19. Noel Fielding


20. Princes William and Harry