Entertainment

Olly Alexander talks about Doctor Who rumours

The singer and actor has been a popular choice for replacing Jodie Whittaker.
The singer and actor has been a popular choice for replacing Jodie Whittaker.

Singer Olly Alexander has insisted he is not the next Doctor Who but said he would like to do more acting.

The 32-year-old has been amongst the names bandied about to replace the incumbent Doctor, Jodie Whittaker, who is stepping down from the role after taking over the Tardis in 2017 as the first female Doctor.

Alexander’s stint in Channel 4 drama It’s A Sin won him critical acclaim but he has ruled out playing the famous Doctor in the BBC series.

Olly Alexander
File photo dated 14/11/21 of Olly Alexander who has ruled himself out of taking on the role of Doctor Who.

He expressed a desire to do more acting while appearing on ITV’s Lorraine saying he “definitely will at some point” and adding: “I don’t know what it’s going to be?

“I’d love to play a sexy witch with magic powers!”.

But prompted by presenter Lorraine Kelly who suggested “a sexy witch in Doctor Who?”, he said he would not be taking on the role.

He replied: “I mean it would be amazing, but I’m definitely not the Doctor.

“But I love the show and I can’t wait to watch it when it gets rebooted, because it’s going to be good.”

The musician also spoke about his first solo Years & Years record, Night Call, which was released last week.

He told Kelly: “I was just at home in my flat and I’d been listening to so much 80s music from It’s A Sin.

“I’ve always loved that era, but I just got so inspired again by that spirit of the dancefloor and the music that you would hear – disco and dance music.

“It really fed into Night Call.”


Night Call is currently on track to take the top spot in this week’s albums chart, the Official Charts Company said on Monday.

Queer As Folk and It’s A Sin writer Russell T Davies is returning Doctor Who to serve as showrunner after departing the show in 2009.

Davies, who was responsible for Doctor Who’s revival in 2005, will make his return to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the show in 2023 and for series beyond, the BBC previously said.

It’s A Sin actress Lydia West has been named by bookies recently as one of the favourites to step into Whittaker’s shoes.