This list does not include Doctors who have appeared in fan films or amateur stage shows and audios, nor does it include rare occasions where a companion or other character has impersonated the Doctor (such as Mawdryn in the story arc Mawdryn Undead or Clara Oswald in the TV episode "Death in Heaven").
The incumbent is Jodie Whittaker, who succeeded Peter Capaldi in the role at the conclusion of the 2017 Christmas special.[1]
Actor (role) | Tenure | First regular appearance | Last regular appearance | William Hartnell (First Doctor) | | ({{Age in years, months, weeks and days>1963|11|23|1966|10|29}})An Unearthly Child "An Unearthly Child" | The Tenth Planet Episode 4 |
William Hartnell also played the Doctor in an initial version of An Unearthly Child. This was the first attempt at the first episode of the original series, filmed in September 1963 and first released on The Hartnell Years VHS in 1990.{{anchor|First Doctor other appearances}}{{Collapsible list | framestyle=border:none; padding:0; | title=Other First Doctor appearances (click the "Show" tab on the right) | bullets=on | Television: The Three Doctors – 30 December 1972 – 20 January 1973 }} |
Patrick Troughton (Second Doctor) | | ({{Age in years, months, weeks and days>1966|10|29|1969|6|21}})The Power of the Daleks Episode One | The War Games Episode Ten |
{{Collapsible list | framestyle=border:none; padding:0; | title=Other Second Doctor appearances | bullets=on | Television: Viewer advisory announcement for The Web of Fear – 27 January 1968[2] | Television: The Three Doctors – 30 December 1972 – 20 January 1973 | Television: The Five Doctors – 23 November 1983 | Television: The Two Doctors – 16 February – 2 March 1985 }} |
Jon Pertwee (Third Doctor) | | ({{Age in years, months, weeks and days>1970|1|3|1974|6|8}})Spearhead from Space Episode One | Planet of the Spiders Part Six |
{{Collapsible list | framestyle=border:none; padding:0; | title=Other Third Doctor appearances | bullets=on | Television: Trailer for The Ambassadors of Death – 1970 | Stage: Glorious Goodwood – 18 May 1974 (audio recording) | Seven Keys to Doomsday (filmed regeneration sequence){{citation needed>date=May 2016}} – 16 December 1974 – 7 January 1975 | Television: The Five Doctors – 23 November 1983 | Stage: Doctor Who – The Ultimate Adventure – 23 March – 3 June 1989 | Radio: The Paradise of Death – 27 August – 24 September 1993 | Television: Dimensions in Time – 26–27 November 1993 | Radio: The Skivers (appeared as the Doctor in three sketches) – 23 February 1995 | Fan film: Devious – post-regeneration sequence filmed in 1995 (this recording of Pertwee was also used in the Big Finish audio drama Zagreus) | Radio: The Ghosts of N-Space – 20 January – 24 February 1996 | Stage: Vodafone commercial – 1996 | Television: Surprise Surprise: episode 13×04 – 21 April 1996 (appeared in-character) }} |
Tom Baker (Fourth Doctor) | | ({{Age in years, months, weeks and days>1974|6|8|1981|3|21}})Robot Part One | Logopolis Part Four |
Tom Baker appeared as the Curator in "The Day of the Doctor" (2013). It was implied that he was a future incarnation of the Doctor revisiting "a few of the old favourites" of his past faces, and who had retired from adventuring and was now the curator of the National Gallery in London.[3] {{Collapsible list | framestyle=border:none; padding:0; | title=Other Fourth Doctor appearances | bullets=on | Television: Disney Time – 25 August 1975 | LP: The Pescatons – July 1976 | Radio: Exploration Earth, Episode 3: "The Time Machine" – 4 October 1976 | Stage: Blackpool Exhibition video skit – 1976 | Television: Christmas sketch – December 1978 | Television commercial: Doctor Who Season 17 Trailer – August 1979[4] | LP: Genesis of the Daleks – October 1979 (audio version of serial with new narration performed in-character) | Television commercials: Keep Australia Beautiful – 1979 | Television commercials: Prime Computers – 1979–1980 | Cassette: The Evil of the Daleks – 6 July 1992 (audio version of serial with new narration performed in-character) | Cassette: The Power of the Daleks – 2 August 1993 (audio version of serial with new narration performed in-character) | Cassette: Fury from the Deep – 4 October 1993 (audio version of serial with new narration performed in-character)[5] | Television: Dimensions in Time – 26–27 November 1993 | Television commercials: New Zealand Superannuation Services – 1996 | Computer game: Destiny of the Doctors – 5 December 1997 | Television: Doctor Who Night - 13 November 1999 (in character as a Doctor, after Paul McGann) | Audio: Hornet's Nest – 3 September 2009 – 3 December 2009 | Audio: Demon Quest – 2 September 2010 – 2 December 2010 | Audio: Serpent Crest – 8 September 2011 – 8 December 2011 | Audio: Big Finish Productions – 9 January 2012 onwards (first story Destination Nerva) }} |
Peter Davison (Fifth Doctor) | | ({{Age in years, months, weeks and days>1981|3|21|1984|3|16}})Castrovalva Part One | The Caves of Androzani Part Four |
{{Collapsible list | framestyle=border:none; padding:0; | title=Other Fifth Doctor appearances | bullets=on | Television: Dimensions in Time – 26–27 November 1993 | Computer game: Destiny of the Doctors – 5 December 1997 | Audio: Big Finish Productions – 19 July 1999 onwards (first story The Sirens of Time) | Television: Children in Need special episode, "Time Crash" – 16 November 2007 | Stage: The Muppets Take the O2 – 14 July 2018[6] }} |
Colin Baker (Sixth Doctor) | | ({{Age in years, months, weeks and days>1984|3|16|1986|12|6}})The Twin Dilemma Part One | The Ultimate Foe Part Two |
{{Collapsible list | framestyle=border:none; padding:0; | title=Other Sixth Doctor appearances | bullets=on | Television: Jim'll Fix It – A Fix with Sontarans – 23 February 1985 | Radio: Slipback – 25 July – 22 August 1985 | Stage: Doctor Who – The Ultimate Adventure – 5 June – 19 August 1989 | Television: Dimensions in Time – 26–27 November 1993 | Computer game: Destiny of the Doctors – 5 December 1997 | Audio: Big Finish Productions – 19 July 1999 onwards (first story The Sirens of Time) | Webcast: Real Time – 2 August – 6 September 2002 }} |
Sylvester McCoy (Seventh Doctor) | | ({{Age in years, months, weeks and days>1987|9|7|1989|12|6}})Time and the Rani Part One | Doctor Who |
Sylvester McCoy also briefly played the Sixth Doctor in Time and the Rani, during the regeneration scene, wearing a curly blond wig. {{Collapsible list | framestyle=border:none; padding:0; | title=Other Seventh Doctor appearances | bullets=on | Television: Search Out Science – Search Out Space – 21 November 1990 | Pinball machine: Doctor Who – September 1992 | Television: Dimensions in Time – 26–27 November 1993 | Computer game: Destiny of the Doctors – 5 December 1997 | Audio: Big Finish Productions – 19 July 1999 onwards (first story The Sirens of Time) | Webcast: Death Comes to Time – 12 July 2001 – 30 May 2002 }} |
Paul McGann (Eighth Doctor) | 27 May 1996 | Doctor Who |
{{Collapsible list | framestyle=border:none; padding:0; | title=Other Eighth Doctor appearances | bullets=on | Audio: Big Finish Productions – 22 January 2001 onwards (first story Storm Warning) | Webcast: Shada – 2 May – 6 June 2003 | Radio: BBC7 plays – 31 December 2006 – 18 February 2007 (first story Blood of the Daleks Part 1, last story Human Resources Part 2) | Web and Television: "The Night of the Doctor" (mini-episode prequel to "The Day of the Doctor") – 14 November 2013 (via BBC red button service 16 November 2013 – 23 November 2013)[7] }} |
Christopher Eccleston (Ninth Doctor) | | ({{Age in years, months, weeks and days>2005|3|26|2005|6|18}})"Rose" | "The Parting of the Ways" |
{{Collapsible list | framestyle=border:none; padding:0; | title=Other Ninth Doctor appearances | bullets=on | Television commercial: Doctor Who (series 1) "A trip of a lifetime" – 15 March 2005[8] | Video: "Dr. Who Proposal" – 21 April 2014[9] | Video: "Video message from Christopher Eccleston to #drwhodaniel" – 14 December 2015[10] | Video: "Christopher Eccleston reprises Doctor Who role to wish Blaine & Liam well on their wedding day." – 9 September 2018[11] }} |
David Tennant (Tenth Doctor) | | ({{Age in years, months, weeks and days>2005|6|18|2010|1|1}})"The Christmas Invasion" | The End of Time Part Two |
David Tennant also played the Doctor's half-human clone in "Journey's End" – 5 July 2008 {{Collapsible list | framestyle=border:none; padding:0; | title=Other Tenth Doctor appearances | bullets=on | Television: Children in Need special – 18 November 2005 | Interactive game: "Attack of the Graske" – 25 December 2005 | Television commercial: Doctor Who (series 2) Trailer – 1 April 2006[12] | Television: The Infinite Quest – 2 April – 30 June 2007 | Television: Children in Need special episode, "Time Crash" – 16 November 2007 | Television: Extras episode, "The Extra Special Series Finale" – 16 December 2007 | Television Commercial: Doctor Who (series 4) Trailer – 2008 | Stage/Radio: "Music of the Spheres" – 27 July 2008 | Television: The Sarah Jane Adventures serial, The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith – 29 and 30 October 2009 | Red Button Service/Television: Dreamland – 21–26 November 2009 | Television commercials: BBC One 2009 Christmas ident – 2 December 2009 | Film: "The Day of the Doctor" cinema introduction – 23 November 2013 | Television: "The Day of the Doctor" – 23 November 2013 | Audio: Big Finish Productions – 16 May 2016 onwards (first story Technophobia) | Television: Family Guy episode "Inside Family Guy" – 23 October 2016 | Webcast: Video message for Gary Russell – 28 January 2018, filmed in 2014 | Stage: The Muppets Take the O2 – 13 July 2018[6] }} |
Matt Smith (Eleventh Doctor) | | ({{Age in years, months, weeks and days>2010|1|1|2013|12|25}})"The Eleventh Hour" | "The Time of the Doctor" |
{{Collapsible list | framestyle=border:none; padding:0; | title=Other Eleventh Doctor appearances | bullets=on | Online/Television commercial: Doctor Who (series 5) "3D Vortex" trailer – 20 February 2010 | Television commercial: ABC1 (Australia) coming up next spot – 18 April 2010 | Video games: "The Adventure Games" – 5 June 2010 – 31 October 2011 (first story City of the Daleks, last story The Gunpowder Plot) | Stage/Radio: Doctor Who Prom – 24–25 July 2010 | Stage/Arena: Doctor Who Live (filmed sequences) – 8 October – 7 November 2010 | Television: The Sarah Jane Adventures serial Death of the Doctor – 25 and 26 October 2010 | DVD Extras: Meanwhile in the TARDIS (two scenes set between The Eleventh Hour & The Beast Below and "Flesh and Stone" & "The Vampires of Venice" included in the Complete Fifth Series box set) – 8 November 2010 | Video game: Nintendo DS Evacuation Earth – 12 November 2010 | Video game: Nintendo Wii Return to Earth – 19 November 2010 | Video game: iPod The Mazes of Time – 16 December 2010 | Television/online commercial: BBC America Series 6 Promo – 25 December 2010 | Television: ITV1 16th National Television Awards opening scene – 26 January 2011 | Exhibition/3D Video: Doctor Who Experience (filmed 3D sequences) – 20 February 2011 | Television: Comic Relief special episodes "Space" and "Time" – 18 March 2011 | Stage: The Crash of the Elysium (filmed sequences) – 1–17 July 2011 (appeared live in character on 16 July 2011) | Web: "Let's Kill Hitler" Prequel – 15 August 2011 | Television: Doctor Who Confidential: "Death Is the Only Answer" – 1 October 2011 | Children in Need auction promotional video – 18 November 2011 | DVD Extras: Night and the Doctor, five mini-episodes included in the Complete Sixth Series box set – 21 November 2011 | Web: "The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe" prequel – 6 December 2011 | Web: Promotion for Blue Peter-sponsored Script to Screen competition – 12 January 2012 | Video game: PlayStation Network The Eternity Clock – May 2012 | Television: Blue Peter special mini-episode, "Good as Gold" – 24 May 2012 | Web: Pond Life five-part prequel – 27–31 August 2012 | Web: "Asylum of the Daleks" prequel – 2 September 2012 | Television: Children in Need The Great Detective – 16 November 2012 | Television commercial: It's Showtime! with Rob Brydon (Episode Two trailer) – 11 December 2012[13] | Television: Red Nose Day 2013: Call the Midwife: One Born Every Minute – 15 March 2013 | Web and Television: "The Bells of Saint John": A Prequel – 22 March 2013 | Television: BAFTA Doctor Who 50th anniversary tribute message – 12 May 2013[14] | Web and Television: She Said, He Said: A Prequel – 11 May 2013 | Stage/Radio: Doctor Who Prom – 13–14 July 2013 | Television commercial: The Day of the Doctor trailer – 19 October 2013[15] | DVD Extras: The Inforarium and Rain Gods, two of three special scenes included in the Complete Seventh Series Box Set – 28 October 2013 | Online advertising: #SaveTheDay marketing campaign – 7 November 2013[16] | Television commercial: "The Day of the Doctor" BBC One ident interruption: The Clock's Ticking – 10 November 2013[17] | Television commercial: "The Day of the Doctor" BBC One ident interruption: It's all been leading... – 11 November 2013[18] | Television: The Science of Doctor Who – 14 November 2013[19] | Television: Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide – 18 November 2013[20] | Television: An Adventure in Space and Time (cameo) – 21 November 2013 | Television commercial: The Day of the Doctor BBC One ident interruption: "The moment is here." – 23 November 2013 | Film: "The Day of the Doctor" cinema introduction – 23 November 2013 | Television: "Deep Breath" – 23 August 2014 }} |
Peter Capaldi (Twelfth Doctor) | | ({{Age in years, months, weeks and days>2013|12|25|2017|12|25}})"Deep Breath" | "Twice Upon a Time" |
{{Collapsible list | framestyle=border:none; padding:0; | title=Other Twelfth Doctor appearances | bullets=on | Television: "The Day of the Doctor" (cameo) – 23 November 2013 | Online game: The Doctor and the Dalek – 22 October 2014 | Exhibition/3D Video: Doctor Who Experience (filmed 3D sequences) – 24 October 2014 | Video: "From The Doctor to my son Thomas" – 6 November 2014 | Web: "The Magician's Apprentice" prologue – 11 September 2015 | Video: "Home Invasion" – 30 November 2015 | Cinema: "The Doctor’s Meditation" – 15 September 2015 | Video game: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One: Lego Dimensions – 27 September 2015 | Television commercial: Sprout Boy meets a galaxy of stars (voice) – 1 December 2015[21] | Television: "Friend from the Future" – 23 April 2016 | Television: Class episode "For Tonight We Might Die" – 22 October 2016 | Television: Children in Need Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them sketch – 18 November 2016 }} |
Jodie Whittaker (Thirteenth Doctor) | | ({{Age in years, months, weeks and days>2017|12|25}})"The Woman Who Fell to Earth" | N/A}} |
|
1. ^{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2017/07/16/doctor-jodie-whittaker-replace-peter-capaldi-time-lord-regeneration/ |title=Doctor Who: Jodie Whittaker is to replace Peter Capaldi in the Time Lord regeneration game |work=The Telegraph |date=16 July 2017 |accessdate=16 July 2017}}
2. ^This trailer was shown at the end of The Enemy of the World Episode 6, with the Doctor advising younger viewers that the Yeti would be appearing in the next adventure, and would be a little more frightening than their last encounter (The Abominable Snowmen), and if their mummy and daddy were scared to "just get them to hold your hand".
3. ^{{cite web|url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01m43f3 |title= Doctor Who: Tom Baker Returns in 50th Special |date=23 December 2013 |accessdate=5 January 2014}}
4. ^{{cite web|author=“” |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K_ffHZAU_4 |title=Tom Baker Doctor Who 1979 New season advert |publisher=YouTube |date=19 December 2008 |accessdate=23 June 2010}}
5. ^Howe's Transcendental Toybox: The Unauthorised Guide to "Doctor Who" Collectibles by David J. Howe, Telos Publishing, 2003
6. ^1 {{cite web |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2018-07-04/the-muppets-take-the-o2-doctor-who-david-tennant/ |title=Doctor Who stars David Tennant and Peter Davison set to join The Muppets live on stage |last=Allen |first=Ben |work=Radio Times |publisher=Immediate Media Company |date=4 July 2018 |accessdate=15 July 2018 }}
7. ^{{cite web|title=Doctor Who: The Night Of The Doctor Schedule Released For BBC Red Button|url=http://tennantnews.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/doctor-who-night-of-doctor-schedule.html=BBC|accessdate=16 November 2013}}
8. ^{{cite web|url=http://gallifreynewsbase.blogspot.com/2005/03/first-proper-trailer-airs-plus-screen.html |title=The Doctor Who News Page: First "Proper" Trailer Airs, plus Screen Grabs |publisher=Gallifreynewsbase.blogspot.com |date=15 March 2005 |accessdate=23 June 2010}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}
9. ^{{cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/christopher-eccleston-plays-doctor-who-5116498|title=Christopher Eccleston plays Doctor Who to help a young couple get engaged|last=Methven|first=Nicola|publisher=Daily Mirror|date=6 February 2015|accessdate=3 November 2016}}
10. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/doctor-who/news/a777166/christopher-eccleston-plays-the-ninth-doctor-again-in-a-touching-video-for-sick-doctor-who-fan/|title=Christopher Eccleston plays the ninth Doctor again in a touching video for sick Doctor Who fan|last=Jeffery|first=Morgan|publisher=Digital Spy|date=14 December 2015|accessdate=3 November 2016}}
11. ^{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2018-09-10/christopher-eccleston-is-back-as-doctor-who-for-fans-wedding-video/|title=Christopher Eccleston is back as Doctor Who for fans' wedding video|publisher=Radio Times|date=10 September 2018|accessdate=10 September 2018}}
12. ^{{cite web|url=http://gallifreynewsbase.blogspot.com/2006/04/new-trailer-debuts.html |title=The Doctor Who News Page: New Trailer Debuts |publisher=Gallifreynewsbase.blogspot.com |date=3 April 2006 |accessdate=23 June 2010}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}
13. ^{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nayRp165R4A |title='It's Showtime!' with Rob Brydon - Episode Two - BBC One Christmas 2012 Trailer |author=British Broadcasting Corporation |publisher=YouTube |date=11 December 2012 |accessdate=15 December 2013 }}
14. ^{{cite web|title=BAFTA Celebrates 50 Years of Doctor Who|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/doctorwho/articles/BAFTA-Celebrates-50-Years-of-Doctor-Who|publisher=BBC|accessdate=22 May 2013}}
15. ^{{cite web|title=Doctor Who Trailer to Celebrate the Last 50 Years|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/doctorwho/articles/Doctor-Who-Trailer-to-Celebrate-the-Last-50-Years|publisher=BBC|accessdate=24 October 2013}}
16. ^{{cite web|title=#SaveTheDay|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/doctorwho/articles/SaveTheDay=BBC|accessdate=9 November 2013}}
17. ^{{cite web|title=The Day of the Doctor: The Clock's ticking|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01l9qvx=BBC|accessdate=18 November 2013}}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
18. ^{{cite web|title=The Day of the Doctor: It's All Been Leading...|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01ldlld=BBC|accessdate=18 November 2013}}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
19. ^{{cite web|url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03hybnv |title= The Science of Doctor Who |accessdate=3 January 2014}}
20. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01lrdq8 |title=Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide |accessdate=3 January 2014}}
21. ^{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnoxGr_sTz4 |title=Sprout Boy meets a galaxy of stars: Trailer - BBC One Christmas 2015 |author=British Broadcasting Corporation |publisher=YouTube |date=1 December 2012 |accessdate=2 December 2015 }}
22. ^Nyssa comments, "He was the Doctor all the time."
23. ^{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U3jrS-uhuo#t=25|publisher=BBC|title=The Night of the Doctor: A Mini Episode – Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor|date=14 November 2013|accessdate=14 November 2013}}
24. ^{{cite journal |last=Cook |first=Benjamin |authorlink=Benjamin Cook (journalist) |date=16 November 2017 |title=Double Bill |journal=Doctor Who Magazine |issue=519 |page=16}}
25. ^At the beginning of the play Martin acted as Jon Pertwee with his face covered and then regenerated.
26. ^Porirua Little Theatre production, directed by Brian Hudson. This New Zealand production had approval from writer Terrance Dicks, the BBC (for the use of the Doctor), and Terry Nation (for the use of the Daleks) and did not include a regeneration sequence
27. ^{{cite web|title=The Dalek Invasion of Porirua: 1984|url=http://nzdwfc.tetrap.com/archive/tsv61/sevenkeys.html|publisher=tetrap.com|accessdate=31 July 2013}}
28. ^{{cite web|title=The Evil of the Daleks Stage Show: The Plays before Evil|url=http://www.evilofthedaleks.co.uk/the-evil-of-the-daleks-stage-show.html|accessdate=26 July 2010|publisher=www.evilofthedaleks.co.uk}}
29. ^Scovell also played the Doctor in the Bedlam Theatre fan video production, The Millennium Trap in 1997.
30. ^{{cite web|title=Dalek Links: Evil of the Daleks |url=http://www.daleklinks.co.uk/articles/evil-of-the-daleks |publisher=dalek links |accessdate=26 July 2010 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725122051/http://www.daleklinks.co.uk/articles/evil-of-the-daleks |archivedate=25 July 2011 |df= }}
31. ^{{cite web|title=Dalek Links: The Dalek Masterplan |url=http://www.daleklinks.co.uk/articles/the-dalek-masterplan |accessdate=26 July 2010 |publisher=dalek links |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100625150739/http://www.daleklinks.co.uk/articles/the-dalek-masterplan |archivedate=25 June 2010 |df= }}
32. ^Briggs had previously played the Doctor in a series of fan-made audio stories for Audio Visuals, including the original version of Minuet In Hell. He appeared in all but the pilot, in which the Doctor was voiced by Stephen Payne. Brigg's Audio Visuals Doctor was the inspiration for a future incarnation of the Doctor that appeared with the Seventh Doctor and Ace, in the Doctor Who Magazine comic adventure “Party Animals” in issue 173. Brigg’s future Doctor made a reappearance in the fourth part of the DWM comic “The Final Chapter” (issue 265), when the Eighth Doctor regenerates into him. This “Ninth Doctor” was revealed to be Shayde acting undercover for the Eighth Doctor in the next story “Wormwood” (DWM issues 266–271).
33. ^Culshaw also impersonated the Fourth Doctor, and currently does Tenth Doctor impressions, in the radio and television series Dead Ringers.
34. ^Lumley is the first woman to play the Doctor in an officially licensed production.