Karen Gillan is backing Dame Helen Mirren to be the new Doctor Who.

Karen Gillan

Karen Gillan

The 29-year-old actress starred as Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith's companion Amy Pond in three seasons of the BBC sci-fi show and now Twelfth Doctor Peter Capaldi is departing the TARDIS at the end of this year she thinks it's time for the first-ever female Doctor.

And Karen believes Helen, 71, would be the perfect choice to play the Time Traveller.

When asked by hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on daytime TV show 'This Morning' who the next Doctor should be, she replied: "Helen Mirren, a woman. I really would like it to be a woman just because so many people have questioned whether a woman can play the role, I think that's completely ridiculous, of course an actress can play the role, it's not really bound by gender."

When some other names in the frame were listed by Phillip, Karen also backed 'Fleabag' actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge as a candidate.

She said: "Phoebe Waller-Bridge would be great."

Karen's breakout role on 'Doctor Who' came back in 2010 and she admits her performances in the series helped her land her part as Nebula in the Marvel Cinematic Universe Franchise 'Guardians of the Galaxy' because director James Gunn is a fan of the programme.

She revealed: "I believe the director watched my screen test because he was like, 'Oh, it's the girl from 'Doctor Who'.' So I think it helped me in some way."

Karen is not the only 'Doctor Who' alumni who has backed a woman in the TARDIS following Tenth Doctor David Tennant, Eighth Doctor Paul McGann and Capaldi's comments the right actress easily take on the iconic role.