The internet has made a lot of noise since the casting of Jodie Whittaker in Doctor Who. The first female custodian of the Tardis gets her hands on the keys this Christmas and has said that she is hoping to get some “calls of advice” from previous owners.

David Tennant has already praised Doctor Who’s new “strong female lead” but one Doctor who has stayed schtum on the topic is Christopher Eccleston… until now.

Appearing on Radio 4 show Loose Ends, the actor was asked by stand-in presenter Sara Cox what he thought of the new Doctor.

“She’s working class, she’s northern, what can go wrong?” said the Lancashire-born actor.

Of course, Eccleston is well acquainted with Whittaker; the two starred together in National Theatre production Antigone back in 2012.

The 53-year-old played the ninth Doctor for one series in 2005, and was the first to appear in BBC1’s revamped show under the stewardship of Russell T. Davies.

Whittaker’s casting was announced last month, after the men’s Wimbledon final, with her Thirteenth Doctor due to make her first appearance in this year’s Christmas special.