A new rumor that Jodie Whittaker is planning her exit from Doctor Who has conjured up a lot of chatter from fans of the series online, prompting an official response from the BBC. According to the rumor, Whittaker has told the Doctor Who team that she intends to leave after the upcoming third season on the show and producers are already gearing up for her departure. This news hasn't been confirmed, but the rumor has created enough noise to capture the BBC's attention.

"We won't be commenting on any speculation around Jodie's future on the show," the network bluntly told Digital Spy. Interestingly, while the statement doesn't confirm the rumors of Whittaker's departure, it doesn't outright deny them either. Because it's so vague, this will likely just fuel the speculation that Whittaker will soon be leaving the series. In any case, nothing has yet been made official, so it's just as possible Whittaker isn't really going anywhere.

Perhaps what makes this particular rumor so plausible is that leaving after three seasons is par for the course with Doctor Who actors. This was the case for her previous three predecessors, with Peter Capaldi, Matt Smith, and David Tennant each serving as the Doctor for three seasons. There's no set formula for exactly how long each Doctor actor should remain in the role, but with that said, it wouldn't be unusual to see Whittaker making her exit in a very similar manner.

If Whittaker is genuinely thinking about leaving, then we can presume her feelings about the series have changed drastically in a one year period. In January 2020, she spoke with Entertainment Weekly about the series and revealed that she'd be coming back for a third season. Whittaker noted that she was very happy to be a part of the show by adding, "I absolutely adore it. At some point, these shoes are going to be handed on, but it's not yet. I'm clinging on tight!"

It would also be a bummer for many fans to see Jodie Whittaker leaving. Last fall, a poll quizzing 50,000 Doctor Who fans asked them to name their favorite incarnation of the Doctor. David Tennant managed to pick up the No. 1 spot, but Whittaker was very close behind, losing by just about a hundred votes. Soon after, it was announced that Tennant and Whittaker's Doctors would unite for the upcoming video game Doctor Who: The Edge of Reality.

Time will tell if Whittaker ends up leaving the show after the next season. Either way, the Thirteenth Doctor is going to have a new companion following Bradley Walsh and Tosin Cole leaving the series. It has since been announced that comedian John Bishop will be the Doctor's new companion, Dan, in season 13. A sneak peek teaser of the upcoming season has also been released by the BBC, revealing Bishop in his new role. With any luck, maybe having a new companion will only help convince Whittaker to stay if the rumors are true.

This news comes to us from Digital Spy.