Dame Helen Mirren to play Doctor Who?

Michelle Ryan thinks Dame Helen Mirren should play the female Doctor Who.
The former 'EastEnders' star - who was known for portraying Zoe Slater in the long-running soap for five years until 2005 - thinks the 71-year-old actress is the perfect person to take over from Peter Capaldi, who currently plays the time-travelling scientist, when he steps down in the festive special later this year - even though she's a woman.
Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz, the brunette beauty said: "Dame Helen Mirren should play the Doctor. I just think she's so good and she has such authority."
New showrunner Chris Chibnall, who will take over from Steven Moffat later this year, is still undecided about whether he'll choose a lady to play the iconic character.
But Michelle has admitted she probably wouldn't accept the role if she was approached to portray the Time Lord because she's already done too much action.
She explained: "I really like variety, there are probably other actresses out there that would really really like to do that, and not that I wouldn't, but I like variety and I've done a lot of action, but who knows. If you get sent through an incredible script, of course you're going to want to do it. It depends on the timing."
The 32-year-old actress is certainly used to the format of the show though as she previously played Lady Christina de Souza in one episode of the sci-fi series in 2009 when David Tennant portrayed the Doctor and admitted she loved every moment of it.
She added: "I enjoyed working along with David Tennant."
Michelle stars alongside Anna Friel, Bill Hope, Alexander Siddig and Colin Salmon in Audible's Alien: River Of Pain. Available to preorder now at Audible.co.uk/riverofpain.