Former Doctor Who companion Rose Tyler – aka Billie Piper – doubts a woman will ever play the role of the TARDIS driving, sonic screwdriver carrying, Time Lord. Whovians have venomously rejected and raged against the prospect that one day a woman could take the controls of the TARDIS. There was even speculation Piper herself would become the Doctor, when rumours popped up on social media the show’s bosses were planning to bring in a female. Piper – companion to both the Doctor’s 9th regeneration (Christopher Eccleston) and 10th (David Tennant) says there was too much tradition with Doctor Who for a woman to play the lead character. For now at least anyway.
Advertisement“I don’t think it will happen,” she said. “Well, not anytime soon. There is too much tradition amongst the show and the story, and its current form works.”
Since then she’s been a time travelling companion, a high-class call girl, died from consumption and headlined a West End smash. But it’s her earlier days singing hits like Honey to the Bee that have kept the world-famous Brit down to earth.
“I’m glad I experienced all of that stuff with fame at a young age even though I think sometimes it’s detrimental to my character,” she told AAP. “In a way it’s made me able to be a bit more peaceful about it nowadays in that it’s not impressive and not really fruitful in many ways.
“I find there are a few kind of good things about being famous and the rest of it becomes increasingly tense-making. Especially nowadays with the fact that everyone is able to see everything you’re doing and document it with phones.”
Piper said she feels blessed to have been continually employed as an actress for the past 10 years, which kicked off with her memorable role as Rose in the revamped sci-fi series Doctor Who. But fans of the Rose-Doctor saga shouldn’t get their hopes up: Piper said she won’t be back in the TARDIS again.
“I think enough is enough,” she said. “I’ve come back in different guises now. I just need to deal with the fact that it’s over. Also I get this kind of lovely experience now, I don’t have to do any of the filming but I still get to enjoy the show through the fans.”
* Billie Piper will be appearing at Oz Comic-Con in Perth from April 11-12 and in Adelaide from April 18-19.
Billie was at Oz Comic Con today (11th April) and we’ve added adorable fan photos!
Billie is in Perth for Comic Con! We have THREE new sets of candids of her from 10th/11th April!
We finally have photos from ‘Great Britain’ rehearsals from last year, check them out in the gallery!
Today marks the 10 year anniversary of the new Doctor Who! In celebration, Peter Capaldi remembers the first episode, ‘Rose’ with Billie Piper & Christopher Eccleston.
The Tenth Doctor and his Companion Rose Tyler will be reuniting in the City of Brotherly Love. In an announcement exclusively revealed to Blastr, we’ve learned that Doctor Who stars David Tennant and Billie Piper will be saying “Allons-y to Philly,” and appearing together on stage at Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con this May.
The appearance marks the first time Tennant and Piper have been on stage together in the U.S. at a fan event. Further, while Piper has been a guest at cons in the states, this is only Tennant’s third North American convention ever (the second being Wizard World Raleigh Comic Con last weekend, and the first was his 2009 panel at San Diego Comic-Con — which was more of a media appearance, and didn’t include autograph and photo opportunities).
The news comes just two days after Tennant admitted on stage in Raleigh, and exploded Whovian fandom in the meanwhile, that “Rose was a girlfriend … even if they didn’t say it.” The enormity of the announcement for fandom also increases when one considers 2015 is the tenth (yes, Tenth!) anniversary of the return of Doctor Who. Of course, beyond Doctor Who, talk at the con will most certainly include Tennant’s casting as the villain in the upcoming Netflix show Marvel’s A.K.A. Jessica Jones, and Piper’s second season on Penny Dreadful – not to mention Harry Potter, Broadchurch, and Secret Diaries of a Call Girl.
Organizers for Wizard World Comic Con additionally shared that Piper would only be appearing on Sunday, so the duo’s panel will be held that day. And in the interest of full disclosure, I have been hired previously as a guest and host for Wizard World cons — though I’d be pretty psyched about this news regardless.
David Tennant and Billie Piper join Nathan Fillion, Stephen Amell, Hayley Atwell, Ben McKenzie, Kevin Conroy and more genre favorites for Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con, held May 7-10 at the Philadelphia Convention Center. More information and tickets can be acquired at the Wizard World website.