It's Official, Jo Martin Is Doctor Who's Main Actor Right Now

With the devastating news that Doctor Who's future is hanging in the balance, it's worth noting that the changes have also resulted in Jo Martin becoming the only official Doctor currently involved with the franchise. Recently, the BBC announced that Doctor Who has been put out to tender, which means the show is looking for a new home.

Yes, the BBC and former showrunner Russell T Davies have repeatedly tried to assure fans that this is not the end of Doctor Who, but an opportunity for a new beginning, but with no clear timeline for when Doctor Who may return, and no updates on who has expressed interest in the tender deal, the series is on shaky ground.

With that being said, there is more to Doctor Who than just the live-action TV show, and that is where a previous underrated Doctor is shining at present and now occupies the unique position of being the primary representation of the Doctor across various forms of media.

In The Absence Of A TV Show, Jo Martin Is Doctor Who's Main Doctor Right Now

Jo Martin first appeared as a previously unknown version of the Doctor, nicknamed the Fugitive Doctor during Jodie Whittaker's run. This came around the same time as The Timeless Child reveal, which confirmed that while Jo Martin's iteration of the Time Lady was not part of the cycle fans have been following since 1963, she was indeed the Doctor.

While TV fans will be keen to know more about this mysterious figure, it seems unlikely that the show will pick up the Fugitive Doctor's storyline anytime soon, which is where additional official releases have jumped in to provide some much-needed answers and context. And at present, Jo Martin is leading the way with a massive multi-platform event known as Circuit Breaker which begins June 25.

Parts of the story will be released in audio adventures, written text, video games, and digital as the Fugitive Doctor takes the lead and creates one of the most ambitious Doctor Who projects in many years. And of course, this could finally lead to some much-needed answers about this version of the Doctor, and potentially open the door for a whole new world of stories in the Whoniverse.

Jo Martin Could Absolutely Be Doctor Who's Next Main Doctor On TV Too

This run of stories will be a pivotal moment to see how fans react and engage with a less traditional Doctor Who adventure, featuring a version of the Time Lord that is almost a stranger. As seen in her brief stint on the main series, the Fugitive Doctor was willing to wield guns against her rivals, which is something that the Doctor has almost never been inclined to do.

But, the story of Doctor Who has been going on for more than 60 years, and it seems appropriate that some things need to have a more drastic change. If hopping over to a different life cycle and exploring the story of the Doctor from a whole new angle is the path forward, it may be time to do just that, and Jo Martin's experience tackling the role across various platforms will undoubtedly place her in a strong position to do so.

Still, the casting of the next Doctor is not something that appears to be in consideration at present, as the show's new home and future are more pressing concerns. Once a new team comes on board to take the show forward, hopefully, a new showrunner who has enough care and creativity to launch the series into the future without destroying what came before will be able to select the best person to play the Time Lord.

Whether that is Jo Martin or not, her adventures in Circuit Breaker will be an incredible chance to get a closer look at the character, and to fill the void while we wait for the series to get any sort of update about timelines. So, while Doctor Who may not be on the TV now or in the next 12 or so months, at least there are more stories to get stuck into.