'Game of Thrones' Actor Anton Lesser Rumoured To Star In 'Doctor Who' Series 11

Since it first started back in November 1963, Doctor Who has been a huge success for the BBC. The well-known science-fiction series follows the adventures of the unique and quirky Time Lord — The Doctor. From the very first series, the Doctor has always remained a male character. Some notable names are William Hartnell, Tom Baker, David Tennant, and Peter Capaldi. However, things are to take a turn for Series 11 in 2018 as the Doctor will change gender and be played by Jodie Whittaker.

Of course, the switch of genders caused a lot of arguments and debates within the Doctor Who universe. A large portion of fans are very excited to see Whittaker take on the lead role. Whereas, another large portion of fans are disgusted with the casting and claim they're going to boycott the show when Whittaker takes over.

However, the Doctor becoming a female isn't the first time we've seen a Time Lord swap gender. During Peter Capaldi's first Series (8), the character Missy, played by Michelle Gomez, continuously cropped up all throughout the series. After sitting through the entire series, Missy's true identity was revealed — The Master. Gomez portrayed Missy for three Series, where she bowed out in 2017's Series 10. It remains unknown if Missy will be returning with a new female face, or if the Master will go back to being a male character.

New rumours are emerging that actor Anton Lesser has been approached for a role in Series 11, which will air late Autumn 2018. On the fan website, Gallifrey Base, comments are being published spreading this exciting rumour. The comment on Gallifrey Base reads:

"Apparently, Anton Lesser of Wolf Hall fame has been approached for/cast in a Series 11 role."

Lesser is incredibly well-known for his role in BBC's Primeval, ITV's Endeavour, and most recently he has appeared in HBO's Game of Thrones. Since 1980, Lesser has appeared in many theatre performances, some of which include Romeo & Juliet, Richard II, and A Doll's House.

It currently remains unknown where this rumour originated from, or if this rumour is, in fact, true or if it has been cheekily made up by someone as a tease for fans. The user who published this rumour claims they just "heard it about from the kind of people with ears to the ground, not from anywhere more concrete." Of course, fans know that at the moment it's a rumour, but this hasn't stopped them from speculating on who Lesser could play in the upcoming series, as well as sharing their thoughts on the rumour. One Gallifrey Base user said, "Great news if true." Whereas, another said, "Yes, he's brilliant in that. A fantastic actor. Masterly in fact."

Following on from that quote, fans are hoping that Lesser has been cast to play the latest incarnation for the deadly Master from Gallifrey. The Master has been a major character in Doctor Who revival since he first appeared in the Series 3 finale, played by Derek Jacobi before passing over the role to John Simm. Simm then played the Master from 2007 until 2010, where fans assumed he bowed out for good. However, things took a sinister turn during the Series 10 finale, as Simm returned once again to play the Master, where he stood alongside his female incarnation before killing her.

Whilst fans are hoping he plays the Master in Series 11, others think now is a good time to rest the Master for a while, primarily because the character has appeared in every series since 2014. A Gallifrey Base user said:

"Whilst I could see Lesser as the character, I'd like to see The Master/Missy rested for a few seasons now. Appeared in all three seasons of the Capaldi era. Anton could play any number of returning characters with great gravitas, or a totally new one."

For now, fans of Doctor Who have to wait patiently to find out if this rumour is actually true. In the meantime, fans have this year's Christmas Special to look forward to, which will see Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor depart the show.