The Doctor facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Doctor
Doctor Who character
The Doctor as portrayed by the series leads in chronological order, left to right from top row.
First appearance	An Unearthly Child (1963)
Created by	Sydney Newman
Portrayed by	William Hartnell (1963–1966) Patrick Troughton (1966–1969) Jon Pertwee (1970–1974) Tom Baker (1974–1981) Peter Davison (1982–1984) Colin Baker (1984–1986) Sylvester McCoy (1987–1996) Paul McGann (1996) Christopher Eccleston (2005) David Tennant (2005–2010, 2023) Matt Smith (2010–2013) Peter Capaldi (2014–2017) Jodie Whittaker (2018–2022) Ncuti Gatwa (2023–2025) Other actors Richard Hurndall (1983) John Hurt (2013) David Bradley (2017, 2022) Jo Martin (2020–2022, 2025)
Character biography
Species	Time Lord
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth I River Song
Children	Jenny (daughter)
Relatives	Susan Foreman (granddaughter) Tecteun (adoptive parent)
Home planet	Gallifrey
Main incarnations	First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Fourteenth Fifteenth
Other incarnations	The Valeyard War Doctor Fugitive Doctor

The Doctor, sometimes known as Doctor Who, is the main hero of the long-running BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who. The Doctor is an alien Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey. They travel the universe in a special time travelling spaceship called the TARDIS. The TARDIS looks like an old 1963 police telephone box, but it is much bigger on the inside! The Doctor often travels with friends.

Since the show began in 1963, many different actors have played the Doctor. When the Doctor gets very badly hurt, they can change their body and appearance. This process is called regeneration. It helps the Doctor heal and continue their adventures. Other actors have also played the character in plays, audio stories, and films. The Doctor has also appeared in many spin-off books, audio dramas, and comic strips.

Ncuti Gatwa is the Fifteenth Doctor. He first appeared in "The Giggle" (2023) and continued through "The Reality War" (2025).

The Doctor's Story

The Doctor is a Time Lord who travels through time and space in their amazing time machine: the TARDIS. Its name stands for Time And Relative Dimension(s) In Space. The TARDIS always looks like a 1963 police telephone box on the outside. The Doctor often brings human friends along on adventures. These friends help the audience understand new things by asking questions.

"Doctor" is a name the character chose for themselves. In some stories, it is hinted that speaking the Doctor's true name could have serious effects. Some spin-off stories say the Doctor's real name is impossible for humans to say. In "The Name of the Doctor", the Eleventh Doctor told his friend Clara Oswald that "Doctor" is a promise he made. This promise means: "Never cruel nor cowardly. Never give up, never give in."

Early Life and Beginnings

The episode "The Timeless Children" shared new details about the Doctor's past. It revealed a scientist and explorer named Tecteun found a mysterious child with special abilities. Tecteun adopted this child and studied them. She learned how to transfer the child's regeneration power to her own species, the Shobogans, who later became the Time Lords. This species then set a limit of twelve regenerations for themselves. The child Tecteun found eventually started calling themselves "Doctor". One of these early Doctors, known as the Fugitive Doctor, was on the run from a secret Time Lord group called the Division. Much of this early life was hidden from the Doctor's own memory.

The First Doctor's childhood on Gallifrey is not fully known. In "Hell Bent", the Doctor remembered being from a high-ranking family on Gallifrey. In "Listen", it was hinted that the Doctor, as a child, often slept alone in a barn. They were a bit shy and different from other children. They wanted to join the Time Lord Academy instead of the army, because they believed in peace.

At the Academy, Time Lord children looked into the Untempered Schism, a gap in reality, to see the Time Vortex. The Doctor said some children were inspired, some ran away, and some became confused. When asked which group they belonged to, the Doctor said, "Oh, the ones that ran away. I never stopped!" The Doctor studied with future leaders and met friends like the Master. They once made a pact to visit every star in the universe.

The Doctor decided to leave Gallifrey out of curiosity and a bit of fear. They stole a TARDIS with their granddaughter Susan from a repair shop. The Doctor once failed a TARDIS driving test and threw the instruction manual into a supernova! The TARDIS, in a human form, once said the Doctor had been traveling with her for 700 years. This means the Doctor was about 200 years old when they first "borrowed" the TARDIS.

The Doctor's Family

The Doctor's adoptive mother, Tecteun, was an explorer from Gallifrey. She adopted the Doctor when they were the mysterious timeless child. Tecteun later led a secret group called the Division. She was involved in big events that threatened the universe. Tecteun was defeated by Swarm after a brief meeting with the Thirteenth Doctor.

Besides Tecteun and Susan Foreman, the Doctor's granddaughter, there are few mentions of other family members in the show. The Second Doctor once said his memories of his family were alive when he wanted them to be. The Eighth Doctor once mentioned being part human on his mother's side, but this idea was later contradicted in the show. The Doctor has also mentioned having a brother and sisters. The Thirteenth Doctor once joked about having seven grandmothers.

The Doctor often avoids talking about being a parent or their family life. In "The Doctor's Daughter", the Tenth Doctor said he had been a father a long time ago and lost his children. This was a very sad memory for him. The Thirteenth Doctor shared that she carries the memories of her family with her, making them a part of who she is. In "The End of Time", a mysterious Time Lady appeared who some fans believe might have been the Doctor's mother.

In spin-off stories, the Doctor has other family members. These include his great-grandson Alex Campbell and an older brother named Irving Braxiatel. The Eighth Doctor also adopted an alien girl named Miranda and raised her.

The Doctor has been married in some stories. In "The Wedding of River Song", the Doctor married River Song, a recurring character. They often called each other husband and wife. The Tenth Doctor also married Queen Elizabeth I during an adventure with Zygons. The Eleventh Doctor even accidentally married Marilyn Monroe during a trip to Hollywood.

The Doctor's Adventures

The Doctor is an adventurous scientist who usually solves problems with clever thinking, not by fighting. They dislike weapons, except for their sonic screwdriver, which cannot harm anyone. The Doctor only uses force as a last resort. An alien villain once said that the Doctor's whole history is about stopping others from taking over.

As a time traveler, the Doctor has been involved in many important historical events on Earth and other planets. For example, the Ninth Doctor helped prevent a family from boarding the Titanic before it sank. The Doctor has also met many famous historical figures.

The Time Lords, the Doctor's people, have a strict rule about not interfering with other civilizations. But the Doctor often gets involved, which made them a "renegade" in the eyes of the Time Lords. However, the Time Lords often let the Doctor's actions slide because the Doctor has saved Gallifrey and the universe many times. Sometimes, the Time Lords even sent the Doctor on special missions. The Doctor's standing with the Time Lords changed over the years. They were once exiled to Earth and even became Lord President of the High Council, though they didn't stay in that role for long. By the time of the Twelfth Doctor, many Gallifreyans saw him as a hero who won the Time War.

The Time War

In the 2005 revival of Doctor Who, the idea of the Time War was introduced. This was a huge war across all of time and space. The Doctor believed he had to make a tough choice to end it, which meant destroying both the Time Lords and the Daleks. This heavy burden of what he thought he had done affected the Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Doctors deeply.

The Time War happened between the 1996 TV movie and the 2005 episode "Rose". It was not shown on screen until "The End of Time", which showed brief glimpses of Gallifrey during the war's final day.

In 2013, a mini-episode called "The Night of the Doctor" showed the Eighth Doctor during the Time War. He chose to regenerate into the War Doctor (John Hurt), a new version of the Doctor who fought in the war. The Tenth and Eleventh Doctors initially felt the War Doctor's actions were a betrayal of what "the Doctor" stood for. However, in the 50th anniversary special "The Day of the Doctor", the War Doctor, the Tenth Doctor, and the Eleventh Doctor worked together. They found a way to save Gallifrey by hiding it in a pocket universe. The Daleks then destroyed themselves in the crossfire. This made it seem like both races were wiped out. The War Doctor forgot these details, so the Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Doctors still believed they had destroyed Gallifrey until the Eleventh Doctor remembered the truth.

How the Show Was Made

The episode title screen of the unaired pilot episode of Doctor Who.

The character of the Doctor was created by Sydney Newman, who was in charge of drama at the BBC. The first ideas for the show, which was almost called The Troubleshooters, were written in March 1963. Newman wanted a grumpy old man who flew a stolen time machine. The name "Dr Who" started appearing in documents in May 1963.

William Hartnell was the first actor to play the Doctor in 1963. In the very first story, An Unearthly Child, two teachers, Barbara Wright and Ian Chesterton, followed their smart student, Susan Foreman, to a junkyard. There, they met a strange old man and heard Susan's voice from inside a police box. They discovered it was the TARDIS, a spaceship that was bigger inside than out! The old man, whom Susan called "Grandfather", took them on an adventure. The First Doctor had long white hair and wore old-fashioned clothes.

When William Hartnell became unwell, the role was given to Patrick Troughton. This change was explained in the show as regeneration. As of July 2025, there have been seventeen different versions of the Doctor shown on TV. The Fourth Doctor, played by Tom Baker, was the longest-running, staying for seven years. Regeneration is a special ability of Time Lords that heals them when they are about to die, giving them a new body and appearance. At first, Time Lords could only regenerate twelve times, meaning thirteen different bodies. But in "The Time of the Doctor", the Doctor received a new set of regenerations from the Time Lords.

The story of how Doctor Who began was told in a TV movie called An Adventure in Space and Time for the show's 50th anniversary. David Bradley played William Hartnell in it.

The Doctor's Body

Time Lord Physiology

Time Lords look like humans, but their bodies are different in important ways. The Doctor has two hearts! They also have a special system that lets them go without air for a long time. Their body temperature is cooler than a human's, around 15–16 °C (60 °F). The Doctor can also handle a lot of radiation. They are very strong and energetic.

The Doctor's senses are very sharp. They can tell what an alien species is, or even what chemicals are present, just by tasting or sniffing the air. They can also sense when other Time Lords are nearby. The Doctor can read a whole book in a second by quickly flipping the pages. They can also connect with other people's memories.

The Doctor does have some weaknesses. For example, a simple aspirin tablet could harm them. A decontamination process meant for humans caused the Doctor great pain.

Time Lords can live for a very long time, unless they have an "accident." If they are badly hurt, they can regenerate into a new body. It was once said that Time Lords could only regenerate twelve times, making thirteen bodies in total. However, the Doctor has found ways to go beyond this limit. Regeneration is usually a choice, but sometimes it can be forced. There are also ways to stop a Time Lord from regenerating, like stopping both their hearts at the same time.

Skills and Talents

The Doctor has many skills. They can communicate mentally with other Time Lords, even across vast distances. They can also use hypnosis with just a glance. The Doctor is a great cricket player and a very talented footballer, even if they don't always know the rules.

While the Doctor prefers not to fight, they are skilled in many forms of unarmed combat, like "Venusian Aikido." They have won sword fights and can make difficult shots with firearms or crossbows if needed. Because they have met many experts throughout history, the Doctor is also a talented boxer, musician, organist, scientist, and singer. They can even shatter windows with their voice! The Doctor also has a PhD in cheesemaking.

The Doctor's Name

In the first episode, when the teachers Ian and Barbara meet the Doctor, they don't know his name. Susan, his granddaughter, calls him "Grandfather." When Ian asks, "Doctor who?", the name stuck! It became a running joke in the show.

During the Eleventh Doctor's time, the question "Doctor who?" became very important. It was revealed to be a password to enter the Doctor's tomb. Later, it was shown that the Time Lords used this question to try and contact the Doctor. The name "Doctor" is a promise the character made to always be kind, brave, and never give up.

Sometimes, the Doctor tries to hide their identity. They have used the alias "John Smith" many times. In the past, the Doctor's car even had the license plate "WHO 1". The Doctor's old friend Drax once called him "Theta Sigma," a nickname from his university days on Gallifrey. The Doctor also once claimed his first name was "Basil."

Spin-off stories have suggested that the Doctor's real name is too alien for humans to pronounce. Some say Time Lords who leave their home planet give up their names.

Why "The Doctor"?

The Doctor often says they are not a medical doctor, but a "doctor of many things" or "a doctor of everything." The Thirteenth Doctor once said she was a doctor of "medicine, science, engineering, candyfloss, Lego, philosophy, music, problems, people, hope. Mostly hope." The Fourth Doctor once told his friend Harry, "You may be a doctor, but I'm the Doctor. The definite article, you might say."

The Doctor chose the name "Doctor" as a promise to always try to make things better. His enemies, the Daleks, call him names like "Enemy of the Daleks" or "The Oncoming Storm."

On-Screen Credits

In the early years of the show, the character was often credited as "Doctor Who." But starting in 1982, with the Fifth Doctor, the credit changed to "The Doctor." This is how the character has been credited ever since, even in the revived series, except for a brief period in 2005.

Changing Faces

The actors who have played the Doctor as the lead role

The Doctor's ability to change actors is explained by regeneration. This process heals the Doctor's body when they are sick, badly hurt, or very old. It gives them a new physical appearance and sometimes changes their personality. This idea was first used when William Hartnell left the show and Patrick Troughton took over.

Usually, regeneration makes the Doctor look younger. However, the Third Doctor, Sixth Doctor, Twelfth Doctor, and Fourteenth Doctor were played by older actors.

In the 60th anniversary special "The Giggle", a new type of regeneration called "bi-generation" was shown. The Fourteenth Doctor split into two separate Doctors: the Fourteenth Doctor and the new Fifteenth Doctor. This allowed the Fourteenth Doctor to stay in his current form and live a more peaceful life with his best friend, Donna Noble.

At the end of "The Reality War" (2025), the Fifteenth Doctor regenerated into a form played by Billie Piper, who had previously played his friend Rose Tyler.

Actors Who Played the Doctor

Here are the actors who have played the main role of the Doctor on television:

Other actors have played special versions of the Doctor. John Hurt played the War Doctor, who existed between the Eighth and Ninth Doctors. Jo Martin played a previously unknown version called the Fugitive Doctor, who came before the First Doctor.

The Doctor's Personality

Even though the Doctor changes bodies, they remain the same person deep down. Each actor brings new quirks and traits to the character.

Some things about the Doctor always stay the same. They often seem friendly or a bit silly on the outside. But underneath, they are very old, wise, and sometimes sad. The Doctor has been described as "fire and ice and rage, he's like the night and the storm in the heart of the sun, he's ancient and forever." While the Doctor can be playful, when things get serious, they become very determined.

This serious side is balanced by the Doctor's deep kindness. The Doctor prefers peaceful solutions and strongly believes in life and fairness over violence. They sometimes even wonder if it's right to destroy their worst enemies, like the Daleks. The Doctor also cares deeply for their old friend, the Master, even when the Master is causing trouble.

The Doctor has a strong sense of right and wrong. They believe it's important to step in when something unfair is happening, which is different from the Time Lords' usual rule of not interfering. The Doctor often dislikes it when others use deadly force, especially guns. They prefer to be unarmed.

However, in extreme situations, the Doctor might use force to protect those they care about. For example, the Doctor once tricked the Daleks into destroying their own planet. After the Time War, the Ninth Doctor was very stern with a lone Dalek he met. The Tenth Doctor often gave invaders only one chance to leave Earth peacefully. The Twelfth Doctor started out a bit grumpy but became a kinder person, always choosing to do what was right.

The Doctor's Accent

Different actors have used different English accents for the Doctor. The first six Doctors spoke in a standard British accent. Sylvester McCoy used a mild Scottish accent, and Paul McGann had a slight Liverpudlian accent. When Christopher Eccleston's Doctor spoke with a Northern accent, he famously said, "Lots of planets have a North." Peter Capaldi used his natural Scottish accent, and Jodie Whittaker used her natural Yorkshire accent. Ncuti Gatwa also uses his natural Scottish-Rwandan accent.

The Doctor's Clothing

The Doctor's clothes are often very unique. The First Doctor wore Edwardian suits. The Second Doctor had a rumpled, clown-like look. The Third Doctor wore fancy frills and velvet. The Fourth Doctor was known for his long coat, wide-brimmed hat, and very long, striped scarf. The Fifth Doctor wore a cricketer's outfit with a stick of celery on his lapel. The Sixth Doctor had a bright, multi-colored jacket. The Seventh Doctor wore a Panama hat and a coat, looking a bit like a showman. In the 1980s, many Doctors had question marks on their clothes.

The Ninth Doctor wore a simple black leather jacket. He believed the character's personality should shine through, not just the costume. The Tenth Doctor wore a pinstripe suit, a long coat, and trainers, which he called "geek chic." The Eleventh Doctor often wore a tweed jacket and a bow tie, famously saying, "Bow ties are cool." He also liked unusual hats. The Twelfth Doctor wore a dark coat and a white shirt, looking like a magician. The Thirteenth Doctor wore blue culottes, yellow braces, and a lilac-blue coat with a rainbow stripe.

The Doctor sometimes makes fun of their past fashion choices. The First Doctor called his third self a "dandy" and his second self a "clown." The Tenth Doctor didn't like the Fifth Doctor's celery. The Eleventh Doctor called his previous self's trainers "sand-shoes." The Twelfth Doctor thought his previous self's long scarf "looked stupid" and bow ties were "embarrassing."

How the Doctor Changes

The Tenth Doctor's explosive regeneration into the Eleventh Doctor.

Each time the Doctor regenerates, it's part of the ongoing story. Most regenerations have been shown on screen. A Time Lord can regenerate twelve times, for a total of thirteen bodies. However, the Doctor has found ways to go beyond this limit. In the revived series, regenerations often involve a burst of energy. The Tenth Doctor's regeneration even damaged the TARDIS.

After regenerating, the Doctor often feels a bit confused or strange for a while. The Second Doctor felt pain after his first regeneration. The Fourth Doctor rambled and had super strength. The Sixth Doctor was very confused and angry. The Seventh Doctor had partial memory loss. The Eighth Doctor also had memory loss. The Ninth Doctor felt strange and tired. The Tenth Doctor had odd food cravings. The Twelfth Doctor forgot how to fly the TARDIS. The Thirteenth Doctor had partial memory loss after falling from the TARDIS.

The TARDIS seems to help with regeneration. Sometimes, the Time Lords can also help or even control the process. In "The Night of the Doctor", the Sisterhood of Karn offered the Eighth Doctor a special drink that let him choose what his next body would be like.

In "Journey's End", the Tenth Doctor managed to stop his regeneration by sending the energy into his hand. This allowed him to keep the same appearance and personality. Later, in "The Time of the Doctor", the Eleventh Doctor revealed that this still counted as a regeneration. He was then given a new cycle of regenerations by the Time Lords, allowing him to change into the Twelfth Doctor.

Meeting Other Doctors

The temporarily human Doctor, John Smith, draws his dreams of past incarnations in "Human Nature". (Left hand page: Tenth and Ninth; Right hand page, left to right, top to bottom: Fourth, Third, Second, Seventh, Eighth, First, Sixth, Fifth)

Because the Doctor travels through time, different versions of themselves can meet each other. This is usually not allowed by Time Lord rules, unless it's a big emergency. This has happened several times in the show: in The Three Doctors (1972), "The Five Doctors" (1983), and The Two Doctors (1985). The Tenth and Fifth Doctors met in the mini-episode "Time Crash" (2007).

Since the show returned in 2005, there have been more multi-Doctor stories. These include "Time Crash", "The Day of the Doctor" (the 50th anniversary special), "Twice Upon A Time" (2017), "Fugitive of the Judoon" (2020), and "The Reality War" (2025).

When different Doctors meet, their personalities can clash. The Second Doctor and Third Doctor often bickered. In "The Day of the Doctor", the Tenth Doctor and Eleventh Doctor were friendly but teased each other, while the War Doctor thought they were too childish. However, they all worked together to save Gallifrey.

Actors Returning to the Role

Sometimes, actors who played the Doctor in the past have returned for special episodes:

• William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton appeared with Jon Pertwee in The Three Doctors for the 10th anniversary.
• Troughton and Pertwee appeared with Peter Davison in "The Five Doctors" for the 20th anniversary.
• Troughton returned with Colin Baker in The Two Doctors.
• Pertwee, Tom Baker, Davison, and Colin Baker appeared with Sylvester McCoy in Dimensions in Time for the 30th anniversary charity special.
• McCoy returned to film the start of the 1996 TV movie.
• Davison appeared with David Tennant in the mini-episode "Time Crash".
• Paul McGann returned for "The Night of the Doctor" in 2013.
• Tennant appeared with Matt Smith and John Hurt (as the War Doctor) in "The Day of the Doctor" for the 50th anniversary. Tom Baker also made a special appearance.
• Smith appeared briefly in "Deep Breath", the first episode of Peter Capaldi's time as the Doctor.
• Davison, Colin Baker, McCoy, and McGann appeared with Jodie Whittaker in "The Power of the Doctor". David Bradley also returned as the First Doctor.
• Tennant appeared as the Fourteenth Doctor in "The Power of the Doctor" and the 60th anniversary specials.
• Whittaker appeared in "The Reality War".

Many of these actors have also played the Doctor again in audio dramas from Big Finish Productions.

The Doctor's Age

The Doctor's age is a bit of a mystery! In early ideas for the show, he was said to be 650 years old. The Second Doctor once said he was "400, yes, 450 years" old. The Fourth Doctor said he was around 750 years old. The Sixth Doctor said he was "a 900-year-old Time Lord," and the Seventh Doctor was 953.

In the 2005 series, the Ninth Doctor said he was 900 years old. The Tenth Doctor later said he was 903, and then 906. The Eleventh Doctor said he was 907, then later around 1,200 years old. However, the Doctor often jokes about his age and sometimes says he loses track.

In "The Time of the Doctor", the Eleventh Doctor spent centuries defending a planet called Trenzalore, aging considerably before regenerating. The Twelfth Doctor later said he was over 2,000 years old. The show's writer, Steven Moffat, explained that the Doctor often lies about his age and doesn't truly know how old he is. He might even remember spending 4.5 billion years in a time loop, making him incredibly, incredibly old!

Special Bonds and Friendships

The Doctor has formed many deep connections with people throughout their travels.

The First Doctor had a special connection with a character named Cameca in The Aztecs. The Third Doctor felt sad when his friend Jo Grant left him. The Fourth Doctor had a close bond with Romana.

In the revived series, the Doctor has formed very close friendships. The Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler had a very special bond. Rose's friend Mickey sometimes felt left out because of it. The Doctor once kissed Rose to transfer energy that was harming her. The Doctor also had a special connection with Madame de Pompadour in "The Girl in the Fireplace".

The Doctor's friendship with Rose Tyler grew even stronger with the Tenth Doctor. They shared many important moments. When they had to say goodbye, Rose told him she loved him. His half-human copy, who stayed with Rose in a parallel world, was able to say "I love you" back.

Martha Jones cared deeply for the Doctor, but he was often focused on his missions. When the Doctor became human for a short time, his human self, John Smith, formed a special bond with a nurse named Joan Redfern. Martha eventually left as a full-time friend because she wanted more than the Doctor could offer.

The Doctor's friendship with Donna Noble was very strong because there were no complicated feelings involved. The Doctor also had a special connection with a woman named Tasha Lem.

The Doctor's relationship with River Song was unique because they met each other out of order in time. River often hinted that they were married in his future. They did get married in "The Wedding of River Song", a very brief ceremony that helped save the day. The Doctor and River shared many adventures and a deep understanding.

The Doctor sometimes finds human feelings and customs a bit confusing. For example, after being kissed by Amy Pond, the Eleventh Doctor was surprised because she was human. He also didn't understand why a married couple wouldn't prefer bunk beds.

The Twelfth Doctor's friendship with Clara Oswald grew very strong. He cared for her deeply. He also had a romantic adventure with his wife, River Song, in "The Husbands of River Song".

The Thirteenth Doctor formed a very close bond with her friend Yaz Khan. Yaz admitted she cared for the Doctor very much. The Doctor also had a special connection with the bounty hunter Rogue in "Rogue".

In other stories, the Doctor has had other special connections. In a novel called Human Nature, the Seventh Doctor became human and formed a bond with a teacher named Joan. The Fifth Doctor once agreed to marry a werewolf named Ileana De Santos, though he later got out of it. The Eighth Doctor's friend Charley Pollard also expressed deep care for him. The Doctor also has an old friend named Iris Wildthyme who likes to tease him.

See also

In Spanish: El Doctor (Doctor Who) para niños