Remember all the way back in 2006 when David Tennant was the Doctor in Doctor Who? Another big name was in the running for the role, but wasn’t given it in the end because of his young age at the time. That man was Nicholas Hoult.
Could you see Nicholas Hoult as the Doctor?
Mark Gatiss revealed the news, speaking to Doctor Who Magazine and explaining: “I remember Nicholas Hoult was going to play that part, but we couldn’t get the licence to work because he was too young.
“But Rory Jennings, who played Tommy, was wonderful – and he was actually a lot older than he looked.”
He also revealed that Tommy was originally a gay character: “In the early drafts, the boy Tommy is gay and he has a crush on the Doctor. Rose thinks he’s interested in her, then goes ‘Oh!’ and realises Tommy’s been talking about the Doctor all along. And the Doctor has to have a quiet word with him. When they get back in the TARDIS, Rose says something like, ‘It’s quite sweet isn’t it? Obviously you wouldn’t be interested’. And the Doctor plays ‘Don’t Fence Me In’ by Cole Porter, like James Bond [in Skyfall] saying, ‘What makes you think it’s my first time?’
“I thought it’d be nice to have the Doctor telling Rose not to make any assumptions about him.”
Despite that never happening, the LGBT+ community did find some representation this past series with the introduction of new companion Bill, played by Pearl Mackie. Unfortunately for fans of the actress, she’ll finish her time on the show with this year’s Christmas special.
Doctor Who then returns next year for a brand new series, with Jodie Whittaker as the first female-bodied Doctor.
Tagged in Doctor Who Nicholas Hoult