After three years of playing Doctor Who, British actress Jodie Whittaker may be stepping out of the Tardis for the last time.
The star is rumoured to be leaving the long-running sci-fi show, the Daily Mirror reports, however, the BBC has refused to comment on speculation.
"It's all very hush-hush, but it is known on set that Jodie is leaving and they are gearing up for a regeneration", the Daily Mirror reported on Sunday, citing an unnamed source close to the show.
“Her departure is top secret, but at some point over the coming months the arrival of the 14th Doctor will need to be filmed.”
The BBC responded with a statement that the broadcaster “won't be commenting on any speculation around Jodie's future on the show”.
It comes as the trailer for season 13 was released, although the season premiere for the long-running BBC show is yet to be given a firm date.
News of Whittaker's departure comes as the first female Time Lord unveiled her new travelling companion, British comedian, John Bishop. The comic, 54, appears as Dan in the season 13 teaser trailer, which premiered during the Friday, January 1 broadcast of the show's New Year's special – Revolution of the Daleks.
"It's time for the next chapter of Doctor Who, and it starts with a man called Dan," said executive producer Chris Chibnall. "Oh, we've had to keep this one secret for a long, long time.
“Our conversations started with John even before the pandemic hit. The character of Dan was built for him, and it’s a joy to have him aboard the Tardis.”
Bishop has recently documented his battled with Covid-19 on Instagram, calling it: “the worst illness I have ever had. Incredible headaches, muscle and joint point, no appetite, nausea, dizziness, chronic fatigue like I didn't know existed.”
Of replacing Whittaker’s season 12 companions, Bradley Walsh and Tosin Cole, who both left the series during the New Year’s special, Bishop said: “If I could tell my younger self that one day I would be asked to step on board the Tardis, I would never have believed it.
"It's an absolute dream come true to be joining Doctor Who and I couldn't wish for better company than Jodie and Mandip [Gill, who plays Yaz]."
"The thing I would say to the next person is the pressure of the history of the show is all made up in your own head, on set all the crew who have transitioned onto the show they are kind of excited and with you to bring something new because that is the beauty of this as a role," said Whittaker in a HBO Max reunion of former Doctor Whos including David Tennant and Matt Smith.
“You're not supposed to be recreating what someone did, you’re supposed to take it. But when you're in your Doctor's clothes and you've got your own friends in it feels in a weird way all that pressure disappears because it's yours to play with.”
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Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
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More on Coronavirus in France
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
