The importance of Jodie Whittaker’s casting as the first female lead of Doctor Who is certainly not lost on the actress.

The former Broadchurch star’s debut as the Thirteenth Doctor aired last week, kicking off a new era of diversity for the beloved BBC One science fiction series when it returns later in 2018.

In an interview with Total Film, Jodie acknowledges how the very act of her casting as The Doctor may already have opened up doors for other actresses.

“This is the defining moment of my life,” she tells the magazine. “I feel old enough for it. And I feel like I understand how important it is, and I’m so excited that the role models for young children, boys or girls… or teenagers, or adults, come in different forms.

“There’s nothing unattainable about me. I don’t look like I’ve been carved out of rock. I don’t sound like I’ve had the extraordinary glamour.”

The actress then explained: “For me, knowing what I thought were my limitations as a person and an actor, because this industry is about, ‘You sound like this, you look like this’… but I’m normal.

“And that was exciting to [Broadchurch co-star and former Doctor] David [Tennant] – it was a superhero he could play. And now it opens it a little wider, to women as well.

“It’s amazing to be a milestone, but how wonderful if it wasn’t, if it was just accepted, embraced. I’m not dissing the moment – it’s f**king brilliant – but hopefully when other people grow up, it’s not so much of a surprise.”

In her first series, Jodie will be joined in the TARDIS by a diverse team of companions — Hollyoaks‘ Mandip Gill as Yasmin, The Cut‘s Tosin Cole as Ryan and funnyman Bradley Walsh as Graham.

Doctor Who returns for its 11th series later in the year on BBC One in the UK and BBC America in the US. Watch Jodie Whittaker’s debut scene below: