Jodie Whittaker: 'I cried when I won Doctor Who role'

Jodie Whittaker cried with emotion when she found out she had been chosen as the next star of Doctor Who.

The 35-year-old made history last month (Jul17) when she was named as the first ever female incarnation of The Doctor in the iconic British science-fiction show's history.

Asked by BBC 6Music radio host Shaun Keaveny about her reaction to finding out she would play the time-traveling alien Jodie said she tried to keep calm but ultimately failed to keep her emotions in check.

"I didn't faint - I played it really cool, and cried," Jodie revealed before adding, "It was incredibly emotional because my entire life...as a child all I wanted to be was an actor and I wanted to do it because I wanted to play pretend and that is the ultimate - I'm about to play an alien, a Time Lord. And that as a girl? Who knew? That's incredible and really emotional because of that."

The actress admitted that as she does not use social media she had largely missed out on the frenzy that greeted her casting.

"I'm not on any type of social media. The only time I see anything is if mates screen grab and send something to me," the Broadchurch star said.

However Jodie did admit to seeing a viral video of a young girl delighted that the next Doctor would be female. She explained that part of her joy in taking the role was so she could prove the part could be played by a woman, admitting it "was not in the realm of possibility" when she was young.

"The people that are in these roles that we are excited about, or passionate (about), or look up to, don't always have to tick the same box and that's what is really incredible about it," the British actress added.

Jodie will take over from current Doctor Peter Capaldi in a Christmas special episode which will air later this year (17).