List of actors who have played the Doctor

Fourteen actors have portrayed the Doctor in a leading role in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The series' protagonist, the Doctor is an alien from a species called Time Lords. The transition to each succeeding actor is explained within the narrative through the plot device of regeneration, which allows Time Lords a change of cellular structure when they near death, changing their appearance and personality. The first actor to portray the Doctor was William Hartnell beginning with An Unearthly Child (1963) through The Tenth Planet (1966). In the final moments of the serial, the First Doctor regenerated into Patrick Troughton's Second Doctor.

The most recent incarnation, the Fifteenth Doctor, was played by Ncuti Gatwa, who took over the role from David Tennant following the conclusion of "The Giggle" (2023). Gatwa departed the role in "The Reality War" (2025). Though appearing to regenerate into Billie Piper, she was not credited as The Doctor, and thus it remains unclear if she is to take over the role.

Outside of television many actors have played the Doctor in various BBC-licensed spin-offs on television, stage, radio, film, audio plays, and webcasts. The character's ability to periodically regenerate appearance and personality has facilitated the ability of new actors to take over the role – in official and unofficial productions – while in most cases maintaining continuity with the television series.

Television

Series leads + Actor (role) Tenure First regular appearance Last regular appearanceWilliam Hartnell(First Doctor)23 November 1963 – 29 October 1966()An Unearthly Child"An Unearthly Child"The Tenth PlanetEpisode 4Patrick Troughton(Second Doctor)5 November 1966 – 21 June 1969() The Power of the DaleksEpisode OneThe War GamesEpisode TenJon Pertwee(Third Doctor)3 January 1970 – 8 June 1974() Spearhead from SpaceEpisode OnePlanet of the SpidersPart SixTom Baker(Fourth Doctor)28 December 1974 – 21 March 1981() RobotPart OneLogopolisPart FourTom Baker also appeared as the Curator in "The Day of the Doctor" (2013). It was implied that he was a future incarnation of the Doctor revisiting "a few of the old favourites" of his past faces, and who had retired from adventuring and was now the curator of the National Gallery in London.Peter Davison(Fifth Doctor)4 January 1982 – 16 March 1984() CastrovalvaPart OneThe Caves of AndrozaniPart FourColin Baker(Sixth Doctor)22 March 1984 – 6 December 1986()The Twin DilemmaPart OneThe Ultimate FoePart TwoColin Baker previously appeared on Doctor Who playing a different character in the Fifth Doctor story Arc of Infinity.Sylvester McCoy(Seventh Doctor)7 September 1987 – 6 December 1989()Time and the RaniPart OneSurvivalPart ThreeSylvester McCoy also briefly played the Sixth Doctor in Time and the Rani, during the regeneration scene, wearing a wig.Paul McGann(Eighth Doctor)12–27 May 1996()Doctor Who (TV movie)Christopher Eccleston(Ninth Doctor)26 March 2005 – 18 June 2005()"Rose""The Parting of the Ways"David Tennant(Tenth Doctor)25 December 2005 – 1 January 2010()"The Christmas Invasion""The End of Time"Part TwoMatt Smith(Eleventh Doctor)3 April 2010 – 25 December 2013()"The Eleventh Hour""The Time of the Doctor"Peter Capaldi(Twelfth Doctor)23 August 2014 – 25 December 2017()"Deep Breath""Twice Upon a Time"Peter Capaldi previously appeared on Doctor Who playing a different character in the Tenth Doctor episode "The Fires of Pompeii" and on the spin-off Torchwood as John Frobisher.Jodie Whittaker(Thirteenth Doctor)7 October 2018 – 23 October 2022()"The Woman Who Fell to Earth""The Power of the Doctor"David Tennant(Fourteenth Doctor)25 November 2023 – 9 December 2023()"The Star Beast""The Giggle"Ncuti Gatwa(Fifteenth Doctor) 25 December 2023 – 31 May 2025() "The Church on Ruby Road" "The Reality War"

Other + Actor Title Dates Role Christopher BarryThe Brain of Morbius24 January 1976Faces seen during the Fourth Doctor's mind-bending battle against Morbius, retroactively revealed as past versions of the Doctor.Robert Banks StewartChristopher BakerPhilip HinchcliffeDouglas CamfieldGraeme HarperRobert HolmesGeorge GallaccioAdrian GibbsLogopolis28 February – 21 March 1981The Watcher, who manifests as a harbinger of the Fourth Doctor's regeneration before merging into the Doctor's dying body.Richard Hurndall"The Five Doctors"23 November 1983Hurndall replaced Hartnell, who had died in 1975, as the First Doctor for the programme's 20th anniversary special. He also appeared in character on Blue Peter alongside Peter Davison on 21 November 1983.Michael JaystonThe Trial of a Time Lord6 September – 6 December 1986The Valeyard, an evil version of the Doctor, an amalgamation of the Doctor's darker sides from between his twelfth and final incarnations.Geoffrey Hughes29 November – 6 December 1986Mr Popplewick, a matrix projection of the Valeyard.Toby Jones"Amy's Choice"15 May 2010The Dream Lord, a darker, psychic manifestation of the Doctor.John GuilorPlanet of Giants DVD20 August 2012Re-dubbed voice work in the reconstruction of the original third and fourth episodes of this First Doctor serial."The Day of the Doctor"23 November 2013Vocal cameo. John Hurt"The Name of the Doctor" 18 May 2013 The Doctor's incarnation known as the War Doctor, whose actions in the Time War were so drastic that he deemed himself unworthy of the name "Doctor". "The Night of the Doctor" 14 November 2013 "The Day of the Doctor" 23 November 2013Michael Jones"Listen"13 September 2014The First Doctor as a child; uncredited. David Bradley "The Doctor Falls" 1 July 2017 Similarly to Hurndall, Bradley replaced Hartnell as the First Doctor. Bradley also portrayed Hartnell in the docudrama An Adventure in Space and Time (2013)."Twice Upon a Time"25 December 2017"The Power of the Doctor" 23 October 2022Jo Martin"Fugitive of the Judoon"26 January 2020Previously unseen incarnation known as the Fugitive Doctor. "The Timeless Children" 1 March 2020 "Once, Upon Time" 14 November 2021"The Power of the Doctor"23 October 2022 "The Story & the Engine" 10 May 2025Grace Nettle"The Timeless Children"1 March 2020 Incarnations of the Timeless Child, who is revealed to be the Doctor.Leo TangJac JonesJesse DeyiSacha Dhawan"The Power of the Doctor"23 October 2022The Master forces the Doctor to regenerate into him.Richard E. Grant"Rogue"8 June 2024An "unknown" Doctor who appears amongst the Doctor's previous faces. This was confirmed by Russell T. Davies to represent the Doctor from Scream of the Shalka.Billie Piper"The Reality War"31 May 2025The Fifteenth Doctor regenerates into a form resembling former companion Rose Tyler, portrayed by Billie Piper, though Piper's official role remains undisclosed.

Audio + Actor Title Dates RoleGeoffrey BayldonAuld MortalityMay 2003Alternative First DoctorA Storm of AngelsJanuary 2005David Warner"Sympathy for the Devil"June 2003Alternative Third Doctor, known as the Unbound Doctor."Masters of War"December 2008The New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield. Volumes 3–7 24 August 2016 – 20 September 2022Bernice Summerfield: The Story So Far: Volume Two25 September 2018"Time Lord Immemorial"5 October 2023"The War Master Part 1"2 July 2024David Collings"Full Fathom Five"August 2003Alternative DoctorIan BrookerNew incarnation of Collings' DoctorMichael Jayston"He Jests at Scars..."September 2003Alternate reality version of the Valeyard"Trial of the Valeyard" 17 December 2013The ValeyardThe Sixth Doctor: The Last Adventure 17 August 2015Bernice Summerfield: The Story So Far: Volume Two25 September 2018The Eighth Doctor: The Time War: Volume Three13 August 2019Arabella Weir"Exile"September 2003Alternative Third DoctorNicholas BriggsThe previous incarnation of Arabella Weir's Doctor"Seven Keys to Doomsday"23 October 2008The Third DoctorThe Ninth Doctor ChroniclesMay 2017The Ninth DoctorJon Culshaw"The Kingmaker"April 2006The Fourth Doctor"The Threshold"15 February 2022The Third DoctorThe Twelfth Doctor AdventuresUpcomingThe Twelfth DoctorTrevor Martin"Seven Keys to Doomsday"23 October 2008Alternative Fourth DoctorWilliam RussellThe Lost StoriesNovember 2010 – September 2013The First DoctorThe Light at the End23 October 2013The Early AdventuresOctober 2014 – October 2016Frazer HinesThe Lost StoriesDecember 2010 – November 2013The Second DoctorThe Light at the End23 October 2013The Early AdventuresSeptember 2015 – November 2019Tim TreloarThe Light at the End23 October 2013The Third DoctorThe Third Doctor AdventuresSeptember 2015 – presentThe Legacy of Time17 July 2019The Diary of River Song: Series 627 August 2019 The Third Doctor (cameo)Once and FutureMay 2023 – October 2023The Third Doctor"Deathworld"16 August 2024John Banks"Trial of the Valeyard"December 2013The Hermit / The Thirteenth Doctor (a disguise used by the Valeyard)Peter PurvesThe Early AdventuresDecember 2014 – August 2021 The First DoctorAnthony Howell"The End of the Line"August 2015Tim Hope (a disguise used by the Valeyard)Liz White "The Brink of Death" Genesta (a disguise used by the Valeyard) John Hurt The War Doctor series December 2015 – February 2017 The War DoctorDavid BradleyThe First Doctor AdventuresDecember 2017 – April 2021The First DoctorThe Legacy of Time17 July 2019The First Doctor (cameo)The Diary of River Song: Series 627 August 2019The First Doctor UnboundSeptember 2025 – presentThe First DoctorJacob DudmanThe Doctor Chronicles April 2018 – March 2024 The Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth DoctorsBig Finish Short TripsMay 2020 – February 2022The Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors"The Union"October 2023Tom BakerThe Eighth Doctor Adventures: Stranded 1June 2020The Curator (implied to be a future version of the Doctor)The Eighth Doctor Adventures: Stranded 2March 2021UNIT: Nemesis: Between Two WorldsNovember 2021Colin BakerThe Eighth Doctor Adventures: Stranded 4April 2022"The Artist at the End of Time"June 2023Doctor of War13 April 2022 – 27 September 2022The Doctor of War (Alternative Fifth Doctor)Jonathon CarleyThe War Doctor BeginsJune 2021 – December 2023The War DoctorThe War Doctor RisesAugust 2024 – presentSusan's War: Family Ties28 August 2024Michael TroughtonThe Third Doctor Adventures: The AnnihilatorsFebruary 2022The Second DoctorThe Second Doctor AdventuresJuly 2022 – presentOnce and FutureMay 2023 – October 2023"Deathworld"16 August 2024Stephen NoonanThe First Doctor Adventures12 April 2022 – presentThe First DoctorOnce and FutureMay 2023 – October 2023"Deathworld"16 August 2024Jo Martin"Coda – The Final Act"November 2024The Fugitive DoctorThe Fugitive Doctor seriesJanuary 2025 – presentMiles TaylorThe Eleventh Doctor Adventures26 March 2026 – presentThe Eleventh Doctor

The Doctor in others' bodies + Actor Title Dates RoleIndia Fisher"Solitaire"June 2010The Eighth Doctor speaking through Charley PollardTerry Molloy"The Curse of Davros"January 2012The Sixth Doctor in the body of DavrosFrazer Hines"The Jigsaw War"May 2012The Second Doctor in Jamie's bodyMelvyn Hayes"The Scorchies"7 March 2013The Third Doctor in Professor Baffle's bodyDamian Lynch"Ghost in the Machine"October 2013The Third Doctor in Benjamin Chikoto's voiceExtras. "Ghost in the Machine". Big Finish Productions. October 2013.Katy ManningThe Third Doctor in Jo's body"The Key to Many Worlds"7 May 2025The Sixth Doctor in Iris Wildthyme's bodyNicola Bryant"The Widow's Assassin"30 October 2014The Sixth Doctor in Peri's body"Extended Extras". "The Widow's Assassin". Big Finish Productions. 30 October 2014.Anneke Wills"The Crumbling Magician"18 September 2019The First Doctor in Polly's bodyDerek JacobiThe War Master: Hearts of DarknessOctober 2020The Eighth Doctor in The Master's bodyExtras. "The Cognition Shift". Big Finish Productions. October 2020.

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