2) Olivia Colman
Who? She might not be hugely famous over the pond, but the 43-year-old Olivia Colman is a familiar name in Britain. From her beginnings in comedy roles, Colman has grown into one of the UK’s most popular dramatic actresses, appearing in such hit shows as Tom Hiddleston spy drama The Night Manager.
Why? As our short bio above attests to, Colman’s an actress who’s gifted at both broad comedy and the darkest drama – a chameleonic ability that is a must for The Doctor, who can change his mood on a dime. At the very least, she deserves a return to the show that better suits her acting chops. Colman previously cameoed in 2010’s The Eleventh Hour as an predatory alien in disguise… for about two minutes.
Likelihood? Colman is heavily rumoured to get the role – chiefly because she stars in crime drama Broadchurch, which is written by soon-to-be Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall. Will Chibnall cast his previous lead actress as The Doctor? Old showrunner Russell T. Davies did the same with David Tennant after the pair worked together on Casanova, but would Colman even be interested in playing the part? Time will tell.
Odds: 8/10