Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Whoopi Goldberg says she wanted to be the first female Doctor Who

Whoopi Goldberg has revealed that years ago she asked BBC bosses to give her the lead role in Doctor Who.

The 63-year-old actress said: "The idea of that just so made me happy. But they were like, 'Um, no.'"

Jodie Whittaker eventually became the first female (and 13th overall) Doctor in 2018.

Goldberg, who was yesterday announced as one of the category presenters at the Oscars, said she was a big sci-fi fan and has always loved sci-fi shows.

Speaking on David Tennant's podcast, she said: "I always felt like science fiction predicted the future.

"Whether it was climate change, hand computers or being able to move around in different dimensions."

Tennant himself played the Doctor from 2005 to 2010.

Goldberg, who has starred in films like Sister Act and Ghost, also lived out her sci-fi dreams as Guinan on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

She told the Radio Times in 2017 that she wanted to star in Doctor Who and was hoping someone would offer her a cameo.

"I always hope when I come to England the BBC will say, 'Hey we want you to do something.' I would love that", she told The Sun, while speaking about her love of British TV.

"You have a different quality now on television. The way you guys have always done shows has always been the smartest and we've finally just figured it out.

"I like the idea of doing things the way y'all do them, you do some really fun stuff like Black Mirror or, you know, I'm still dying to do Doctor Who."

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