As I've noted before, gender and colour aren't an issue with me - The Doctor isn't human after all, and doesn't have to conform to human ideas regarding either (or sexuality for that matter). What does concern me is how a 29-year-old actor (pretty much still a kid from my perspective) is supposed to convey the experience, good, bad, joyous, hurtful and all points between, of a thousand-plus-year-old being. It kind of depends on what kind of life the actor has had, I think. Ecclestone, Hurt and Capaldi all had that 'been there, done that' look in the eyes (so does Jo Martin). Tennant never quite managed to fake it - he came across as someone who knew things, but hadn't necessarily experienced them. Smith didn't even try, with him, it was as if all that knowledge and memory had been downloaded into his mind from somewhere else and was bursting to get out. Whittakers' tactic was to go for sadness and compassion, both of which she used to good effect. We'll have to see what this lad can do with it -given his acting pedigree and his background, I'm optimistic.

But the importance of a Black lead in such an iconic show can't be denied. It's sad that so many peoples' image of themselves begins and ends with things like race, gender or sexuality. But a Black Doctor Who will be seen as a very positive thing by a lot of people, and I'll not argue with that.