Alex Kingston has admitted she would struggle with the idea of a female Doctor on Doctor Who.

River Song's alter-ego told press including Digital Spy that she can't imagine our Time Lord becoming a Time Lady.

"It's difficult - I would imagine that, if anything, the [next] Doctor might be of a different race than gender," she said.

"I can't imagine, myself personally, the Doctor being a different gender. I just think that too many men have played that role."

BBC Pictures

Kingston added that "if one goes back historically, Doctor Who has been a little boys' show".

"Women are going to hate me for this!" she laughed. "But I do think the Doctor has to be a guy - I do. Though it might be very interesting for River if it was a woman!"

River will return to Doctor Who this Christmas, pairing with Peter Capaldi's Doctor for the very first time.

Festive special, 'The Husbands of River Song', will air on Christmas Day (Friday, December 25) at 5.15pm on BBC One.

The current series concludes tonight, with finale episode 'Hell Bent' airing at 8pm.

Watch BBC One's Christmas 2015 trailer - featuring clips from the Doctor Who festive special:

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