Olly Alexander 'set to be the new Doctor Who and will become the first-ever gay actor to play the Time Lord - after It's A Sin creator Russell T Davies championed him for the role'

• Olly is reportedly set to be the new Doctor Who and will become the first-ever gay actor to play the Time Lord 
• It comes following reports that Jodie Whittaker has quit after half a decade of playing the iconic role, having taken over from Peter Capaldi in 2017 
• According to new reports, Russell T Davies, who was previously an executive producer for Doctor Who, 'championed' Olly, 30, for the role 
• Years & Years' Olly recently received critical acclaim for his role as Ritchie Tozer in Davies' groundbreaking Channel 4 series It's A Sin

Olly Alexander is reportedly set to be the new Doctor Who and will become the first-ever gay actor to play the Time Lord.

It comes following reports that Jodie Whittaker has quit after half a decade of playing the iconic role, having taken over from Peter Capaldi in 2017. 

According to new reports, Russell T Davies, who was previously an executive producer for Doctor Who, 'championed' Olly, 30, for the role.

Years & Years' Olly recently received critical acclaim for his role as Ritchie Tozer in Davies' groundbreaking Channel 4 series It's A Sin. 

A source told The Sun: 'Olly is on the verge of being announced as the new Doctor. Negotiations are at an advanced stage. 

'He's been heavily promoted for the role by Russell — who he's worked closely with on other projects. Russell was impressed with his work and felt he was a great fit for the Doctor.  

'It's definitely happening, he's just had to keep quiet about it while negotiations were finalised.' 

While a 'BBC insider' told the publication that bosses are staying 'tight-lipped' about what they have planned and that there is still 'lots more to come' for Jodie due to filming reportedly continuing for episodes in 2022. 

A representative for Olly denied the claims to MailOnline, saying that the singer is 'focusing on his music, for the time being.' 

MailOnline has contacted Jodie and Russell's representatives, as well as BBC, for comment. 

Earlier this month, it was reported that Jodie is set to star in two more specials in 2022 before leaving the sci-fi series after nearly five years in the role.

Sources claim the actress, who made the history as the first-ever female Doctor, will appear in the extra episodes once series 13 has aired later this year, with that instalment cut to just eight episodes to due to the Covid pandemic.

It comes following reports in January that Jodie has quit the role of Doctor Who after half a decade playing the iconic role, having taken over from Peter Capaldi in 2017.  

It is believed the episodes will feature stories which were axed from this year's series due to Covid restrictions.

One of the episodes is likely to feature the important regeneration scene which is custom for the change of every Doctor, The Mirror reports. 

While Jodie will still be on televisions as the Doctor until next year, she will conclude filming for the show in the coming months. 

MailOnline contacted representatives for BBC for comment at the time. 

Earlier this year, it was reported that Jodie is set to be the first Doctor ever not to feature on the cover of the show's annual.

The artwork for the 2022 Doctor Who annual will feature artwork of the Tardis, rather than a picture of Jodie as The Doctor. 

Jodie's iteration of the Time Lord has appeared on each of the last three Doctor Who annuals, but with rumours circulating about her future on the show, she has been removed from the cover. 

A source told The Mirror: 'Every Doctor Who annual since 1964 has featured the current Doctor so this is a big departure for them. It's surely no coincidence that it's happened just as she's on the way out.'

Another told the paper: 'As ever bosses are staying tight-lipped about what they have planned, but with filming still ongoing they clearly have plans for episodes to be playing out much later into 2022 – so there's still more to come for Jodie's Doctor.'

MailOnline approached the BBC for comment at the time.

After seeing fans' reaction to the new cover, the author of the annual, Paul Lang took to Twitter to reassure fans that Jodie will still feature throughout the book.

He said: 'I didn't do the cover but I can assure you she is inside on (nearly) every page.'

While the publishers of the annual, Penguin Random House, told The Sun: 'We made the decision some time ago to experiment with a non-character led illustrated cover. Jodie is, of course, featured throughout the book itself.'

It comes after rumours emerged that Jodie will leave Doctor Who after series 13.

In March, the BBC refused to comment on speculation, after it was reported that the screen star handed in her notice for the show.

Jodie reportedly told BBC bosses that she won't be returning to the popular series following the conclusion of the upcoming series 13.

That will mark a four-year run for the actress, which is about average for recent actors playing the time-travelling alien.

Matt Smith, David Tennant and Peter Capaldi also appeared on Doctor Who for three series each, while Christopher Eccleston only appeared on one series after the show was revived in 2005.

According to a source for The Mirror, the show is already at work on figuring out how Whittaker will be replaced by the Fourteenth Doctor.

As with previous Doctors, at the end of Whittaker's tenure her character will 'regenerate' into a new form, at which point the next actor will take over the role.

Jodie made history in July 2017 when she was announced as the first-ever female doctor after Peter Capaldi ended his run. 

Earlier this year, Mandip Gill revealed that bosses are 'open' to casting a 'woman of colour' as the next Time Lord.

The actress, who plays Yasmin Khan in the sci-fi series, said that 'there's definitely room for change,' when it comes to diversifying the show's cast, following reports that Jodie has quit the role after four years in the TARDIS.

It comes after Who was universally praised by fans for introducing its first-ever black Doctor, played by Jo Martin, in a twist that saw the time traveller learn of numerous incarnations from her past.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4, Mandip said she could see another black actor taking on the famous role, as bosses are yet to confirm rumours that Jodie will leave the show later this year.

She said: 'I think there's a long way to go but there's definitely room for change. And actually, I think at the BBC and at Doctor Who they are very open and forward-thinking, so yes.'