Next Doctor Who Odds: Billie Piper to Be Next Doctor – But Is All as It Seems?

Doctor Who fans were left open-mouthed at the end of the recent series finale when former show star Billie Piper made a shock appearance. 

In episode The Reality War, Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor regenerated into Billie, who cheerily said: "Oh, hello!"

Many are now convinced Billie - who played Rose Tyler, the Doctor's companion, in 2005 - will portray the Sixteenth Doctor in the BBC sci-fi series, and the best betting sites have updated their odds.

Doctor Who Odds: Will Billie Piper Be Confirmed As Sixteenth Doctor?

The speculation comes after Ncuti's departure as the Fifteenth incarnation of the titular Time Lord drew to a close.

However, the actress is yet to be confirmed as the Sixteenth Doctor by the BBC, who have teased her potential future in the show. 

Speaking about the shock twist, showrunner Russell T Davies said in a statement: "Billie once changed the whole of television, back in 2005, and now she's done it again!

"It’s an honour and a hoot to welcome her back to the TARDIS, but quite how and why and who is a story yet to be told. After 62 years, the Doctor’s adventures are only just beginning!"

Billie explained: "It’s no secret how much I love this show, and I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse as I have some of my best memories there.

"So to be given the opportunity to step back on that TARDIS one more time was just something I couldn’t refuse, but who, how, why and when, you’ll just have to wait and see."

Billie is a short-price favourite to be the next Doctor, but some fans simply aren't convinced that is the case. 

Who Are You? 

In Ncuti's farewell statement, the Sex Education actor admitted it is "time to hand over the keys to that beloved blue box and let someone else take control and enjoy it every bit as much as I have".

But if Billie is taking over as the new Doctor then why didn't he namecheck her? 

Following The Reality War's ending, the closing credits read: "And introducing Billie Piper."

However, in Doctor Who it tends to say who is who - if you excuse the pun. 

Former show star Jodie Whittaker returned to the latest series finale to reprise her role as the Thirteenth Doctor. 

Doctor Who Odds: Who Will Be The Sixteenth Doctor?

The credits read: "Jodie Whittaker as The Doctor," and also exiting Time Lord Ncuti was credited as: "The Doctor".

When former Tenth Doctor David Tennant returned to the show to portray the Fourteenth Doctor, his credit in October 2022 episode The Power of the Doctor was: "And introducing David Tennant as The Doctor".

If Billie was in fact portraying the Sixteenth Time Lord, then why wasn't she credited as such at the end of The Reality War? 

It's 1/3 on betting apps for Billie to be confirmed as the Sixteenth Doctor, but there are other doubts, too. 

A fan site, Doctor Who TV, has pointed out something some Whovians have forgotten - there isn't currently a confirmed new Doctor Who series in the pipeline.

Could this mean the next Doctor is yet to have been cast because Who bosses aren't 100 per cent sure where the series is going? 

With no confirmation either way, it's certainly a possibility. 

If Davies needed a helping hand to close the latest series, then recruiting a couple of former Who stars, in Piper and Whittaker, makes sense. 

Could Piper even be returning to reprise her role as companion Rose Tyler? 

All of this begs the question - if Billie isn't the Sixteenth Doctor, which is a 3/1 chance, then who will be? 

Erin Doc-Herty 

Adolescence star Erin Doherty is the best of the rest at 7/4 second favourite to Billie. 

If the Secret Diary of a Call Girl star isn't taking over control of the TARDIS, then Who bosses could do far worse than hand the reins over to Erin. 

We're only around halfway through 2025 but The Crown actress Doherty has been one of the major TV stars of the year, following her gripping roles in Netflix megahit Adolescence, and Disney+ period drama A Thousand Blows. 

Another actress who has made a big impression on the small screen this year is Ncuti's former Sex Education co-star Aimee Lou Wood. 

She excelled in The White Lotus and Netflix's Toxic Town and is 5/2 to take over the TARDIS next. 

The Marlow Murder Club's Jo Martin (3/1) would be a popular pick with Whovians far and wide. 

She even reprised her role as the Fugitive Doctor in a recent episode, on May 10. 

The surprise cameo went down extremely well with Who super-fans, and some have speculated that this could've been a nod to the Doctor's next incarnation. 

However, if Davies is going to delve into the Doctor Who archives again, as he has done with Billie, then he may try to recruit Matt Smith, who portrayed the Eleventh Doctor from 2010 to 2013.

The House of Dragon star is a 2/1 chance to be the Sixteenth Doctor, and David Tennant is a 6/1 outsider to portray a different Time Lord for a third time. 

Still There, Doctor? 

With no new series confirmed, at the time of writing, and previous speculation about Doctor Who being axed - could the series be rested in the near future, or ditched altogether? 

The BBC dropped a press release after The Reality War to effectively bid farewell to Gatwa, but they didn't confirm a new series.

This is ringing alarm bells for some fans of the Whoniverse.

Doctor Who Odds: When Will The Show Be Shelved 

It's 5/2 that the show is axed as early as this year, while it's 2/1 favourite to be shelved next year. 

It's a 5/1 outsider for the programme to make it until 2029 or later before it is ditched.

That could be the case if the new Doctor goes down well.

* Reminder: These are hypothetical odds provided by industry experts.