Odds On Who

Friday, 31 October 2008 - Reported by Chuck Foster
After the announcement of David Tennant leaving, it was inevitable that the media would begin to speculate on who would assume the role of the Doctor in 2010. BBC Entertainment reporter Lizo Mzimba made a report on Tennant's departure which ran on BBC news programmes over the course of yesterday, citing Paterson Joseph(previously seen in the series as Rodrick in the Series One finale), David Morrissey (to be seen in the forthcoming Christmas special), and James Nesbitt as the leading choices.

Betting site William Hill have offered odds on a number of actors for the role (listed below); an article on their website has reported on how the odds on Welsh actor Rhys Ifans have been slashed following bets made in the Cardiff area! Says spokesman Rupert Adams: "So far we have not been able to find out where the rumours about Rhys are coming from but on paper we think he will make a good Doctor."

Today's Telegraph speculates on the top choices in more detail, also speculating onCatherine Tate - the possibility of a female Doctor once again suggested by Russell T Davies in an interview with Tate and Steven Moffat at the National Television Awards on Wednesday.

Another article appeared on BBC News's E24 entertainment programme last night, in which Lizo interviewed a few stars on their thoughts for who should be the next Doctor. Ricky Gervais put forward his usual collaborator Stephen Merchant for the role, Peter Purves and John Noakes suggestedthemselves(!), James Bond star Daniel Craig liked the idea of a woman, whilst singer Tom Jones agreed with the idea of fellow Welshman Rhys Ifans. As for David Tennant himself: "I’ve always been a big supporter of Wee Jimmy Krankie and I, you know, if it wasn’t me it was gonna be him, her, him. So the campaign starts here for me, to get wee Jimmy Krankie in the Tardis and big Ian Krankie as the companion. I think that works."

Other online media articles include: BBC News Northern IrelandLondonderry SentinelBelfast Telegraph on James Nesbitt; Online Betting GuideThis is SwanseaBBC AmericaThe MirrorEW.Com PopwatchLA Times.

Update: the Daily Mail places David Morrissey as favourite; BBC News adds Sean Pertwee and James McAvoyto the list; the Sun reports on reader ideas, including Harry Hill and Jonathan Rhys Meyers; and Russell Toveytells Digital Spy on his thoughts of being named as a possible Doctor.
WILLIAM HILL ODDS ON NEXT DOCTOR (30th Oct 2008)
5/2 David Morrissey
3/1 Paterson Joseph
6/1 James McAvoy
7/1 James Nesbitt, Robert Carlyle
8/1 John Simm, Rhys Ifans
12/1 Anthony Head
14/1 Alan Davies, Jason Statham
16/1 Nigel Harman, Bill Nighy
25/1 Daniel Radcliffe, Burn Gorman
33/1 Stephen Fry, John Barrowman
20/1 Next Doctor To Be Female
50/1 Christopher Eccleston




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