Doctor Who To Get First Female Star?

Doctor Who could get a female Time Lord at the helm of the Tardis afterMatt Smith has left the show, it is reported.

The BBC is claimed to be considering a number of candidates to replace the 30-year-old - who announced this weekend that he would be leaving the role after this year's Christmas special.

An insider told The Sun: "All actors, no matter their sex or race, will be considered. If they are good enough, the part is theirs."

Sue Perkins has been the focus of an online campaign to make her the first Time Lady.

But bookies have made Merlin and Law & Order star Ben Daniels the favourite to replace Smith.

The 48-year-old has been given odds of just 6/1, with Being Human's Damien Molony on 9/1 and Homeland's David Harewood and Russell Tovey both on 10/1.

Paterson Joseph - who played Alan Johnson in Peep Show - is on 16/1 and former star David Tennant and comic Russell Brand are both outsiders on 33/1.