Latest Doctor Who odds confirmed after diehard fans hail ‘excellent’ new contender

After Ncuti Gatwa exploded into Billie Piper, sci-fi fans have been asking one question: ‘Doctor, who?’

Yes, despite the Fifteenth Doctor transforming into someone who resembled his old companion Rose Tyler, fans remain convinced it’s a trick of some kind.

In fact, if you hang out on the fan forums (I know how to spend a Saturday night,) you’ll find plenty of theories floating about to explain the Doctor’s new face.

There are rumours that Billie Piper isn’t the ‘true Doctor’ and that we’ll soon meet the real sixteenth incarnation in the upcoming Christmas special.

The most recent name we’ve seen in the frame is Will Sharpe, who you may know from his latest turn in the TV adaptation of Amadeus.

In a recent Reddit post claiming that Sharpe had been secretly cast as the titular Time Lord, fans claimed he was a ‘brilliant’ choice.

So is it true?

Well, when Metro reached out to the BBC, they refused to comment, forcing us to turn to the only people who might know better… the bookies at Paddy Power, and did they have a scoop for us.

Using their unknown and arcane arts, they surmised that Will Sharpe has just 50/1 odds of taking over the Tardis. That means there’s only a 2% chance of it happening.

So sorry, everyone, but it doesn’t seem like Will is going to be travelling through time soon.

But if he’s not the favourite, who is?

Next Doctor odds

Billie Piper (4/5)

Perhaps unsurprisingly, considering we literally saw Ncuti Gatwa turn into her, Billie Piper is still the out-and-out favourite (regardless of what anonymous people claim online), and it’s easy to see why.

The former singer established her acting credentials on Doctor Who, playing Rose Tyler when the series was revived back in 2005 alongside Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor.

Since then, the star has gone on to bigger and bigger things, appearing in Secret Diary of a Call Girl, I Hate Suzie (which she co-created), and most recently, the biggest Netflix show ever, Wednesday.

Billie’s clearly got a fondness for Who, making numerous cameos since leaving the Tardis. So who knows, maybe this time she’ll be the one steering?

Erin Doherty (2/1)

Erin Doherty, who you’ll know from Adolescence and The Crown has had great odds for months now.

It makes sense, she is young and talented, and her connection with Jack Thorne (who might be in the running to take over as Doctor Who showrunner if unfounded rumours are to be believed) may make her a prime candidate.

Sadly, if Erin is the next Doctor, no one told her. ‘I’ve heard the Doctor Who rumour, and I’m into sci-fi and fantasy, but I can honestly say there have been no discussions,’ she told Radio Times at the end of 2025.

Lydia West (5/1)

Lydia West is the third favourite actor to replace Ncuti. She’s previously appeared in not one but two Doctor Who adjacent shows, Dracula (written by former showrunner Steven Moffat) and It’s a Sin (written by current showrunner Russell T Davies).

Aimee Lou Wood (5/1)

Ncuti Gatwa was the first member of the Sex Education cast to take on the Time Lord, but who says he has to be the last?

Aimee Lou Wood dazzled fans with her performance in The White Lotus season three, and her slightly manic energy would be a good fit for Doctor Who.

Still, with a role in the upcoming Beatles biopic (and more in the pipeline), it’s hard to imagine Aimee swapping the glitz and glamour of Hollywood for the Tardis.

Josh O’Connor (12/1)

I know Josh O’Connor has better odds than other people on this list, but let’s be real, this one just isn’t happening.

Josh might have become a household name on The Crown, but since then, he’s avoided franchise work for the most part, instead taking on roles in more standalone movies.

Plus, if the rumours are to be believed, he might have his hands full being an international man of mystery soon… well, him or Callum Turner or Jacob Elordi…

Who do you want to see as The Doctor? Have your say in the comments belowComment Now

Matt Smith (12/1)

Matt Smith played the Eleventh Doctor from 2010 to 2013 after bowing out in explosive fashion on Trenzalore.

Still, if David Tennant has proven anything in the last few years, it’s that you can’t keep a good Doctor down and with the news that House of the Dragon isn’t going to go beyond season four, Matt may be looking for a new job soon.

Whoopi Goldberg (15/1)

Arguably the most out there choice on this list, we’ve never had an American doctor before, and with these odds, we’re not likely to get one any time soon. Still, the Whoopster in Doctor Who? Someone needs to make this happen.

Tom Hiddleston (20/1)

While Tom Hiddleston would undoubtedly make a great (if not godly) Doctor, it’s not surprising he’s got long odds.

The star has his hands full playing Loki in the MCU and Jonathan Pine in The Night Manager, which the BBCjust commissioned for a third series. Basically, he’d need a time machine to squeeze it all in… wait a minute.

Martin Freeman (20/1)

Another long shot is Martin Freeman, who we last saw in former Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall’s adaptation of The Seven Dials on Netflix. This isn’t the first time his name has come up when the Doctor’s next face has been discussed.

The Office star was asked by Zaptoit about rumours he was the next Doctor in 2014, and he said: ‘I think my name was on an extremely long list once for a Doctor, but they’ve not asked me. I like the show, though.’

I wonder if he’s still keen?

Doctor Who returns this Christmas for a new specialon BBC One.

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