50 Actors Who Could Play the Next Doctor on Doctor Who
By Lacy Baugher
Hart in her self-titled comedy sitcom “Miranda” (Photo: BBC)
Miranda Hart
Many American viewers probably know Miranda Hart best as the awkward and charming Chummy from period drama Call the Midwife. But Hart’s career is based in comedy. She had regular roles on sitcoms such as Not Going Out and Hyperdrive, French & Saunders, The Vicar of Dibley and Absolutely Fabulous. In 2009, she got her own sitcom, named – appropriately enough – Miranda. Based on her own semi-autobiographical writing, the show became a big hit. And though Miranda ended in 2014, Hart kept busy with other projects. Most recently: that meant starring in a West End run of classic musical Annie. But, that doesn’t mean she couldn’t take on a role in the TARDIS.
Hart is best known for her comedic skills, particularly in all things involving physical comedy. So casting her as Thirteen would virtually guarantee a return to a more humor-driven Doctor Who. To be fair, it’s not like the show lacked laughs in recent years. But let’s get real, Steven Moffat’s focus was always on more sweeping, tragic sorts of stories. It might be nice to watch Who and laugh regularly again. And her work on Call the Midwife has certainly proven that Hart has dramatic acting chops as well. (I mean, Chummy is virtually everyone’s favorite, and Hart’s recent absence from the show still hurts.) But would she take on the role of the Doctor?
If history is anything to go by, Hart’s answer seems a solid maybe. Back in 2013, she waved off rumors that she might replace Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith as “ridiculous”. And Hart’s got something of a dramatic history with the BBC and this show, already. Rumor has it that when Moffat offered her a “significant role” on Who, the BBC made her turn it down due to her commitments on Miranda. Now, this report comes from The Sun, which isn’t always the most reliable of news outlets. But if it’s at all true, would Hart ever even want a role on Doctor Who? Surely the Doctor is a role which is even more restrictive when it comes to actor’s secondary commitments? It’s hard to say.