Just as she should be.
A list of the BBC’s top earners has been released this week following calls for the company to be more transparent with the public.
Although some of the details from the list of 96 presenters, hosts and actors earning over £150k were to be expected, we were all shocked by the huge gender wage gap it revealed, with only a third of the Beeb's top earners being women.
Following the revelation, people have started speculating about what this means for Jodie Whittaker, with the 35-year-old actress announced as the first ever female Doctor Who last week, joining the series as the Thirteenth Doctor in December.
With the current Doctor, Peter Capaldi, being revealed as one of the BBC’s highest paid actors, there is talk as to whether Jodie will earn the same amount.
BBC chief Tony Hall put an end to speculation this week, explaining to the Evening Standard that she would receive equal pay, getting the same amount as her predecessor. ‘There is parity for the same amount of work,’ he explained, ‘and I do think it is time for the 13th Time Lord to be a woman.’
He continued: ‘I watched my first Doctor Who in the Sixties, hiding behind the sofa. As a devoted Whovian, I’m incredibly excited.’
Jodie has addressed her gender already, asking Doctor Who fans to look past the fact that she’s a woman and embrace change.
‘I want to tell the fans not to be scared by my gender because this is a really exciting time, and Doctor Who represents everything that’s exciting about change,’ she explained. ‘The fans have lived through so many changes, and this is only a new, different one, not a fearful one.’
She continued: ‘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.'
