Former Dr Who David Tennant has leapt to the defence of his Broadchurch co-star by saying she was “a great choice” to play the Time Lord.

Jodie Whittaker is to be the first woman to take on the role, playing the 13th Doctor in the BBC1 drama. Whittaker rose to fame in ITV’s crime drama Broadchurch, which also starred Tennant.

The BBC has since revealed many people have sent formal complaints to the network over the choice.

But Bathgate-born Tennant, who played the 10th incarnation of the Time Lord, said Whittaker was a great artist and “brilliant” in Broadchurch.“But in life Jodie has a real directness and she’s very funny and I don’t think we often get to see that in the parts she gets asked to play.

“So...I don’t know what she’ll choose to bring to it, but...she’s got a real spunkiness to her in life and I she’ll enjoy using some of that in Doctor Who.”

Tennant was also asked how he dealt with negative comments by others who still feel that the Doctor should no be female?

“I think the question’s not really about gender, I think it’s about the right actor taking on the role,” he said.

“It’s about finding the right actor to take it somewhere new and exciting and fresh. Jodie’s one of the best actors in Britain, so what a great choice.”

He also considered why some viewers might find the change difficult.

“I think that’s beyond gender. If you grow to love a version of a character it gets to mean a great deal to you, so you can have all sorts of emotions at the idea that it’s been taken away from you, but then two weeks in you’ve fallen in love with the new one,” said Tennant.

“It’s a shame that because Jodie happens to be of a different gender to all the other people who have played the part then that can become as if people are making an issue about that. I think it’s about getting used to the new and that’s part of what Doctor Who has always done.”

Peter Capaldi announced in January that he was leaving the programme.

Chris Chibnall, Doctor Who’s new head writer and executive producer, has said: “I always knew I wanted the 13th Doctor to be a woman and we’re thrilled to have secured our number one choice. Her audition for the Doctor simply blew us all away.

“Jodie is an in-demand, funny, inspiring, super-smart force of nature and will bring loads of wit, strength and warmth to the role. The 13th Doctor is on her way.”

Ms Whittaker said: “I’m beyond excited to begin this epic journey - with Chris and with every Whovian on this planet. It’s more than an honour to play the Doctor. It means remembering everyone I used to be, while stepping forward to embrace everything the Doctor stands for: hope. I can’t wait.”