UPDATE: Hugh Grant has since denied rumors that he is in talks to replace Jodie Whittaker on Doctor Who. "Nothing against Dr W but I'm not. No idea where the story came from," Grant said on Twitter.
Actor Jodie Whittaker's time as the titular Doctor in the BBC's Doctor Who series is coming to an end, and Love, Actually's Hugh Grant may be in talks to replace her.
According to British outlet, The Mirror, actor Grant may be in talks to take over as the Doctor in the future. An unnamed insider stated the actor is expected to "bring a fresh feel" to the role, adding, "He offers many attributes – great actor, British, award-winning, Hollywood A-lister and excellent at comedy. Conversations are in progress."
Regarding the future of the iconic series, there was even comparison to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the insider stating, "The vision is that the show can be a Marvel-like product, building franchises around the Doctor and other key characters in his many lives."
Whittaker, showrunner Chris Chibnall and executive producer Matt Strevens will all say farewell to Doctor Who through a series of specials to be released later this year. Strevens previously teased, "The final story is a massive, feature-length epic – it was huge to shoot – with lots of surprises for fans of all ages. Jodie gets a really good send-off. I think it will push everybody's buttons." Whittaker has played the Doctor since 2017 and marked the first time the Doctor has been played by a female actor.
The showrunner also touched on the decision to leave Doctor Who as well as Whittaker's legacy as the Doctor. "Jodie and I made a 'three series and out' pact with each other at the start of this once-in-a-lifetime blast," he said, going on to say, "She's been the gold standard leading actor, shouldering the responsibility of being the first female Doctor with style, strength, warmth, generosity and humour. She captured the public imagination and continues to inspire adoration around the world, as well as from everyone on the production. I can’t imagine working with a more inspiring Doctor – so I'm not going to!"
Replacing Chibnall will be former showrunner Russell T. Davies, who revived the series back in 2005 and ran the show until 2009 when he stepped down and was replaced by Steven Moffat. The next Doctor Who special, "Legend of the Sea Devils," arrives this spring on BBC One in the UK and BBC America in the US. It will be followed by two others. A release date has not yet been announced.
Source: The Mirror, Twitter