The future is female.

From Daleks to Cybermen, the makers of Doctor Who pride themselves on creating characters that leave viewers hiding behind the sofa.

But the thirteenth person to take on the role of the Doctor has insisted there's one thing fans should not be afraid of - her gender.

Jodie Whittaker has been revealed to be the 13th Doctor on the BBC sci-fi series Doctor Who, making her the very first woman to portray the iconic role. The news was revealed after the men’s Wimbledon finals on the BBC, with the Doctor Who social-media accounts following soon after. “I’m beyond excited to begin this epic journey, with Chris and with every Whovian on this planet,” Whittaker said in a statement. “It’s more than an honour to play the Doctor. It means remembering everyone I used to be, while stepping forward to embrace everything the Doctor stands for: hope. I can’t wait.” She will be replacing Peter Capaldi, who will bow out of the Whoniverse and regenerate at the conclusion of the 2017 Christmas Special.

Whittaker, a 35-year-old British actress from Yorkshire, is perhaps known best for her leading role in the crime drama Broadchurch alongside former Doctor David Tennant and Olivia Colman, as well as her other television roles in Return to Cranford, Black Mirror, Marchlands, and The Smoke. Her film credits are also varied, and include St. Trinian’s, Good, and Attack the Block. “Anyone who has seen Jodie Whittaker’s work will know that she is a wonderful actress of great individuality and charm,” Capaldi added in an additional statement. “She has above all the huge heart to play this most special part. She’s going to be a fantastic Doctor.”

The Christmas special will see David Bradley making an appearance as the first Doctor, the role originally taken by actor William Hartnell in the Sixties, meaning that three different incarnations of the Time Lord will appear in the same show.