Catherine Zeta Jones to be the next Doctor Who?

Writer and executive producer Russell T Davies suggested a female Timelord to replace David Tennant when he leaves at the end of next year.

"Catherine Zeta Jones would be great," Davies said of the 39-year-old Oscar-winner, adding that her Welsh heritage - she is Swansea-born - was in her favour. The show is filmed in Cardiff and Davies himself is Welsh.

Signing her up would make television history because women have been relegated to the role of the Doctor's companion since the BBC One sci-fi show began in 1963. Joanna Lumley was once tipped to take over from Tom Baker in the 1980s, but the part went to Peter Davison instead.

Other women linked to the role of the 11th Doctor are Billie Piper, who played Tennant's assistant and proved highly popular with viewers, Lesley Sharp, another Davies favourite, and Georgia Moffat, who had a cameo role in the show earlier this year as the cloned daughter of Doctor Who and also happens to be Davison's daughter.

Davies also supported the idea of a black Doctor Who, whether male or female. "The more it's talked about, the more likely it is to happen," he said. Colin Salmon and Paterson Joseph are names in the frame.

The writer revived the show in 2005 but leaves next year, so will play no part in choosing Tennant's successor. The Scottish actor will appear in four special episodes in 2009/10 before bowing out.

Auditions are already under way, but Davies said persuading an actor to take on the role can be a lengthy process. "Whoever becomes the Doctor has to take on a whole life, it's not just taking part in a TV show. It's a lot of soul-searching to do."

He was speaking at a preview screening of the Christmas Day special. It is titled The Next Doctor and co-stars David Morrissey - teasing viewers with the possibility that Morrissey could be a contender for the role.

Tennant recently underwent back surgery, forcing him to withdraw from the West End production of Hamlet until after Christmas. However, Davies said he was confident that the actor would be fit enough to start work on the first special episode next month. "We will be very careful with him. The problem has been fixed but I don't think we'll be swinging him on a wire on his first day back."


- telegraph.co.uk