Doctor Who: New lead to be revealed after Wimbledon - BBC News
Widespread speculation suggests the 13th Doctor will - for the first time - be a woman.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. It’s almost time to meet the Thirteenth Doctor

The wait is nearly over for Doctor Who fans, as the identity of the 13th Doctor is due to be revealed later.

There is speculation the Time Lord could be a woman for the first time.

A trailer featuring the number 13 in different locations aired on Friday, finishing with the words: "Meet the 13th Doctor after the Wimbledon men's final, Sunday 16th July."

The actor will succeed Peter Capaldi, who took the role in 2013 and leaves in the 2017 Christmas special.

Capaldi announced he was leaving during an interview with BBC Radio 2 presenter Jo Whiley in January.

Peter Capaldi will bow out in this year's Christmas special, featuring David Bradley as the First Doctor

The Glasgow-born star said: "I feel it's time to move on. I feel sad, I love Doctor Who, it is a fantastic programme to work on."

The announcement about the 13th Doctor will come directly after the final - between Roger Federer and Marin Cilic - comes to an end.

David Tennant, the 10th Doctor, is among the audience watching at Centre Court.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge has denied involvement in the sci-fi show

Phoebe Waller-Bridge - the star of hit comedy Fleabag - is among the favourites tipped to become the first female Doctor.

Former companion Billie Piper told the BBC it would "feel like a snub" if the role went to another man - but would Phoebe be able to squeeze the Tardis in around adventures on the Millennium Falcon? The 32-year-old actress recently started filming the new Star Wars Han Solo movie.

The bookies seem confident the role will go to one of the stars of ITV's Broadchurch - even if it isn't Phoebe, who starred in the show's second series as barrister Abby Thompson.

Both Jodie Whittaker and Olivia Colman have been the subject of much speculation, especially as incoming show boss Chris Chibnall was the creator of Broadchurch.

David Tennant - otherwise known as the 10th Doctor and Colman's Broadchurch co-star - told the BBC he thought Colman would be "great" in the role, but added: "Whether that's in her sights at the moment, I suspect probably not."

Olivia Colman won a golden globe for her role in The Night Manager

Former Death in Paradise actor Kris Marshall, Sherlock's Andrew Scott and Ben Whishaw - who plays Q in the James Bond films - also make the list of contenders, should bosses go for a more traditional casting.

Pearl Mackie, who plays current companion Bill Potts, posted a picture of herself with a pink Tardis at Lovebox festival on Sunday, with the message: "Wonder who is inside..?!".

Some of those whose names have been linked to the role posted tongue-in-cheek tweets as speculation mounted over the identity of the Doctor.

The locations in the latest trailer included 10 Downing Street, Beachy Head cliffs and the Statue of Liberty.

The popular sci-fi series features a Time Lord, known only as the Doctor, who travels through time and space in the Tardis, which resembles a 1960s police telephone box.

The main character has the ability to regenerate, a quirk that has allowed a number of actors to have played the role over the years.

The series was first broadcast in 1963. It underwent a relaunch in 2005, with Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor.

Sophie Aldred, who played Doctor Who's companion Ace in the 1980s, said: "I've been lucky enough to meet most of the Doctors and they've all been amazing people. Slightly eccentric in some way... very talented actors.

"They just have to be a person who (has) really got something different about them."

Capaldi, who replaced Matt Smith as the Doctor, was previously best known for his role as foul-mouthed spin-doctor Malcolm Tucker in the BBC series The Thick of It.

Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.