The Time Lord is moving into the 21st century and regenerating into a woman after 12 incarnations as a white British male.
Jodie Whittaker will make her debut on the sci-fi show this Christmas taking over from Peter Capaldi.
Whittaker, who found fame as Beth Latimer, mother of murder victim Danny, in Broadchurch, said it felt "incredible" to take on the role.
"It feels completely overwhelming, as a feminist, as a woman, as an actor, as a human, as someone who wants to continually push themselves and challenge themselves, and not be boxed in by what you're told you can and can't be."
And she told fans not to be "scared" by her gender.
"Because this is a really exciting time, and Doctor Who represents everything that's exciting about change," she said.
"The fans have lived through so many changes, and this is only a new, different one, not a fearful one."
Doctor Who first aired in 1963 and in recent years fans have argued fiercely about whether future incarnations of the Doctor should be female, from an ethnic minority - or even American.
So the gender change in television's most popular time traveller has fans - and others - pretty excited.
Some are cross. Very cross.
#DoctorWho13 I CALL ON ALL MALE DR WHO FANS TO BOYCOTT THE BBC LICENCE FEE UNTIL A MAN IS RIGHTLY PUT BACK AS DR WHO!!! #BBCBarstards
— Southendman (@Southendman1972) July 16, 2017
Superman, Poirot, Indiana Jones, Entourage and Hercules. You're welcome. #DoctorWho13 pic.twitter.com/HBdGyPEwdO
— Joe Scaramanga (@JoeScaramanga) July 16, 2017
For others, there's a long way to go:
Hey, if you're a Doctor Who fan of color who feels left out of this celebrating b/c we still have 0 Doctors of color, I see you. You matter.
— Annalee (@leeflower) July 16, 2017
You're next. #DoctorWho13 #DoctorWho #JamesBond pic.twitter.com/DYxPFV6lH6
— David Schmid (@DavidSchmid1) July 16, 2017
...though it doesn't seem Piers Morgan is taking any of it seriously:
Very disappointed Dr Who is now a woman.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) July 16, 2017
Massive insult to the non-binary gender-neutral community.
And some are simply unmoved:
My daughter watching the #DoctorWho announcement. #doctor13 #DoctorWho13 pic.twitter.com/eX0w1rW4E9
— ️Jenny Trout (@Jenny_Trout) July 16, 2017
Peter Capaldi steps down from the role at the end of the year. Photo: BBC
Paul Scoones, president of the New Zealand Doctor Who fan club, clearly knows a thing or two about the science part.
"It's already been established that the Doctor species can change gender," he says.
"So why not? The Doctor is not human, the Doctor is alien. And his alien species can regenerate into any other form."
There's more than one way to think about aliens, it seems:
Don't understand the particular men getting upset about a woman Doctor Who.
— Amanda (@Pandamoanimum) July 16, 2017
Thought it'd be perfect, as women are alien to them anyway.
Is no British icon safe from these FEMINISTS? What next? A female Big Ben? #DoctorWho13
— Zoë Tomalin (@ZoeTomalin) July 16, 2017
I LOVE FORESHADOWING#DoctorWho13 pic.twitter.com/xiFHsOa0cm
— Karlpaldi (@CosmicWhoNerd) July 16, 2017
Daleks Announce That Gender of Dr. Who Has No Bearing on Their Desire to Exterminate
— (((Mark Campbell))) (@MrWordsWorth) July 16, 2017
Some channelled founding producer Verity Lambert, who launched the series in 1963:
I hope Verity Lambert is in TV Heaven muttering "About bloody time, boys."#DoctorWho
— Craig Ranapia (@CMRanapia) July 16, 2017
But is it Time Lady now? Not according to Paul Scoones. There have been time ladies in the series, he says but they often seem to be called Time Lords. "Time Lords seems to be the descriptor of the entire species."
She's not a woman doctor! SHE IS THE DOCTOR!! #Doctor13 #jodiewhittacker . Great choice x
— Rylan Clark-Neal (@Rylan) July 16, 2017
And Twitter reckons there'll be a couple of things to sort out immediately:
INT TARDIS: New Doctor choosing their outfit. Walks out in dress.
— Hadyn Green (@hadyngreen) July 16, 2017
"Perfect!"
Goes to put sonic screwdriver in nonexistent pocket.
"Next!" https://t.co/P3pADAO8Hp
- RNZ / BBC
