Doctor Who fans guess who the next Master could be

The Doctor isn’t the only one to change faces – and Who fans may have figured out who the next Master will be.

Doctor Who, the sci-fi BBC series – which is now heading onto Disney+ in the US for this upcoming season – is known for how the Doctor changes; not just in the actor that plays them, but in their personality, the companions they have, and the foes they face.

One foe is The Master, who is also a time lord like the Doctor. In the revival series, we received a greater backstory for the pair, as they grew up together in Gallifrey, before their frenemy relationship led to carnage throughout the modern series.

The Master also regenerates like the Doctor, but the show likes to surprise us with who’s playing them. And now, fans are wondering if a certain actor could be taking on the villainous role.

Fans theorize that Nicole Coughlan could be the next Master

Back in November, it was announced that Nicole Coughlan – best known for her work in Derry Girls and Bridgeton – was going to be joining Doctor Who for Season 15, specifically the Christmas episode of next year.

This announcement initially got people excited, with some theorizing that Coughlan could be the next companion. After all, she and Gatwa have already worked together on Barbie.

However, another fan theorized another, more sinister theory: That Coughlan could be the next Master.

Especially since we’ve been pretty much told that the Master will be returning after a mysterious hand picked up the Toymaker’s tooth back in the finale of the 60th Anniversary Specials, which contained very Mastery things.

As stated by one Doctor Who fan-made X (formerly Twitter) account, “The Master is coming back again and I bet it’s her.”

Now, this theory has its pros and cons. For a start, the red seems on theme with the red nails picking up the tooth. Secondly, her role in Bridgerton proves that Coughlan can play more ominous characters, and can even do a twist villain schtick. Then again, she could be considered too well known to play the Master, but never say never.

A number of other fans responded to this theory, with varying degrees of believability, “I WAS THINKING THAT TOO ACTUALLY IT MIGHT BE A BIT OF A STRETCH BUT” exclaimed one believer, while another more skeptical fan responded, “[Russell T] Davies said not happening anytime in the next 3 series but he just wanted to leave that door open for the future.”

Some have even theorized that she could be another twist character, such as Ruby’s mother, as our new companion is shown to be adopted in this year’s Christmas Special, “The Church on Ruby Road.”

Check out these responses below:

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