Sylvester McCoy admits "stupid sexism" led to him having doubts about a female Doctor Who.
Sylvester McCoy
The 77-year-old actor - who played the seventh incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running series - initially harboured doubts when Jodie Whittaker was revealed as the new Doctor, but those concerns quickly evaporated.
He explained: "It was stupid sexism … I thought, ‘Why change it?’ But after five minutes she was the Doctor, as far as I was concerned."
Jodie, 38, became the first actress to play the iconic role when she was announced as the 13th Doctor in 2017.
And despite his previous reservations, Sylvester now thinks the series should be more open-minded than ever when it comes to choosing the next Doctor.
He told Radio Times: "It has to be someone with lots of character. It can’t be someone bland and beautiful, rather handsome and characterful.
"I was surprised when they got Matt Smith. He looked about 12, and yet he was brilliant! One minute he looks 12, the next he looks 125. He has the perfect Doctor Who face. So, a surprise. A person of colour would be great."
By contrast, Sylvester previously questioned the idea of giving the role to an actress.
He said: "The Time Lord should never regenerate as a woman."
The veteran star claimed that it would "ruin the dynamics" of the show.
He shared: "I’m sorry, but no – Doctor Who is a male character, just like James Bond.
"If they changed it to be politically correct, then it would ruin the dynamics between the Doctor and the assistant, which is a popular part of the show. I support feminism, but I’m not convinced by the cultural need of a female Doctor Who."
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