You could be the next Doctor Who…but is that really a good idea?

I’m not talking about the BBC Christmas 2013 Special when the 12th doctor will be revealed. The route to being this Doctor is much simpler – no acting school or tedious Time Lord exams – but the catch is you need to have a spare £5000.
That’s one of the incentives on offer from a crowd funding project that hopes to remake the lost stories that were destroyed back in the 60’s and early 70’s.
Apparently there are over 100 missing episodes including a whole series about the Doctor going back in time to meet Marco Polo.
I’m sure I remember it. As a child I loved the history stories and I have this vague memory of men in robes and the Tardis with tents…
I have lived most of my life with men for whom Doctor Who – in all his guises – is as important as a much loved uncle; intelligent, witty men who can have serious discussions about flaws in 40 year old scripts and debate who is the best of all the Doctors with a conviction that Nigel Farage might consider a tad excessive. (There is, however, now perfect harmony in our house with all votes going for Tom Baker. No contest.)
So, having said all that, I hope you appreciate I’m not sneering about the project. I understand the devotion of fans and the mission to recreate something that has been lost. All we have – I presume – is the scripts and as a writer I would welcome new life being injected into them (providing the copyright is respected, of course).
But I can’t help feeling that the outcome won’t be exactly brilliant if casting is dependent on the size of donation. Offering the chance to be an extra is a great idea but when it comes to the iconic central character I hope the organisers will have a re-think even if the donor will only appear in a one-off special because that still represents a big chunk of resources in a project of this size.
We aren’t short of trained and talented actors seeking opportunities to perform – if they were to advertise they will be able to run days and days of auditions. And I think sitting in on auditions and being part of the panel that selects their Doctor Who is special enough.
Better to be the second Simon Cowell than the 13th Doctor Who.

But good luck to them and this is the link to their donation page. (You get a thank you in the credits for just £1.)

Should a woman be the next Doctor Who?
I’ve just had a quick look at some of the betting sites and Helen Mirren, Miranda Hart and Sheridan Smith have been mentioned (not with great odds it has to be said).
What do you think? Is it time for a gender change?