Jodie Whittaker on why Doctor Who was her favourite role of all time
She played the iconic role between 2018 and 2022
Last updated 3rd Oct 2025
Actress Jodie Whittaker joined Simon Mayo on Greatest Hits Radio to talk about her new role in the TV series Frauds, alongside Suranne Jones. She also reflected on her role as the 13th Doctor in the long-running series Doctor Who.
While Jodie no longer plays the Doctor on the TV show, she explained why she loved the role so much, telling Simon: "It's brilliant. So I do audio things and got to pop up in Ncuti's last episode."
Jodie Whittaker on Doctor Who
Jodie appeared on the popular show for three series between 2018 and 2022, becoming the first female Doctor Who in the show's history, and as the actress explained: "You just don't get kicked out of the family," after you've left.
Speaking about her involvement in the show, she told Simon: "It's brilliant. It's such a beautiful thing to be a part of. It felt like this three-year or three-season adventure that tapped into everything that made me want to be an actor as a kid.
"So it was an absolute joy. But I have to say, of all the parts I've ever played, It's absolutely more towards who I am naturally."
She went on to say: "I loved the crew so much. It was such an amazing life. But I think I knew it was (the end)."
Despite leaving in 2022, Jodie reprised her role earlier this year in Ncuti Gatwa's last episode. Although Jodie was busy filming the new series Frauds, she explained how she secretly flew back to the UK, to film the series 15 finale of Doctor Who.
She told Simon: "Credit to every department, like Frauds are amazing. They didn't know what it was, it was made-up, this whole thing. It was a ‘pick up’ in inverted commas of a job. Nobody knows, I've landed into Gatwick at like midnight and then got taken to Cardiff.
"Picked up like two hours later, taken on set, put in a wig, put back in my costume, which I was delighted to still fit in, and see a lot of old friends and a lot of new faces. And it was amazing and then I flew back and still couldn't go, I'm just going to talk to anyone. No one can know.
"I'm really good at the secret keeping though, because as a fan of television, I don't want a spoiler."
Frauds with Suranne Jones
Jodie's latest role is as Sam in the series Frauds, which is created, directed and stars Suranne Jones. Jodie said it's great to have a series with two female leads in their 40s, going on to explain: "I play a character called Sam, opposite Suranne Jones, who plays Bert. When we meet these two characters, Bert is being let out of prison after a 10-year stretch."
She continued: "She's let out on compassionate leave from a recent cancer diagnosis, which is terminal. And Sam, her longtime friend and partner in crime, is coming to collect her with the intention to keep everybody on the straight and narrow."
Of course with a name like Frauds, Sam's plan of keeping her friend on the straight and narrow soon goes out of the window when Bert wants one final, multi-million-pound art heist.
Frauds will be released on 5th October and available to watch on ITV/STV.
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