1. William Hartnell – 1963 to 1966
William Hartnell played the first Doctor from 1963 to 1966, with a somewhat “old and grumpy” version of the character
William Hartnell played the legendary Time Lord in his first incarnation, when he crashed to Earth with his granddaughter Susan after they were “banished” from their planet Gallifrey.
At first he was portrayed as a stubborn old man, but later he showed a softer side in his compassion as a grandfather and his companions.
The Doctor's initial appearance was very different from the modern episodes, with black and white footage and blurred effects.
Hartnell's time as the Doctor also saw the first appearance of the Daleks and the Cybermen, but years of travel took their toll on the aging Doctor and he collapsed in the TARDIS, leading to the second incarnation.
Unfortunately, the First Doctor suffered from health problems during filming, which eventually forced him to retire from acting. He died in 1975 at the age of 67.
2. Patrick Troughton – 1966 to 1969
Number two: Patrick Troughton played the Second Doctor from 1966 to 1969
Patrick Troughton's “Doctor” was in stark contrast to its predecessor and appeared unkempt and carefree on the outside.
In the second incarnation, fans encountered new enemies such as the Great Intelligence and the Ice Warriors.
This time also saw the debut of the classic series' main protagonist, Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart (or the Brigadier), as he met the Doctor in the tunnels of the London Underground.
The Second Doctor's time came to an end when the TARDIS landed in the middle of a warzone created by a race of alien warlords.
He managed to foil the plot, but was forced to regenerate as he violated the law of non-interference.
Troughton died in 1987 after a fatal heart attack.
3. Jon Pertwee – 1970 to 1974
From 1970 to 1974, Jon Pertwee took on the role of the Third Doctor
Many modern fans will also know Pertwee from his role in Worzel Gummidge, and his Doctor was more prone to action than his predecessors.
After his exile on Earth was lifted, he and his companions traveled to all corners of the universe, meeting journalist Sarah Jane Smith along the way.
This era also marked the first ever multi-Doctor crossover, as the Third Doctor met his two previous selves.
It introduced the prehistoric villains The Silurians and The Autons, who appeared in the first episode of the 2005 reboot series.
Eventually, Pertwee's Doctor regenerated after a terrible encounter with the Green Death.
Unfortunately, Pertwee is no longer with us and died in 1996.
4. Tom Baker – 1974 to 1981
Tom Baker – with his iconic curly hair and striped scarf – was the Fourth Doctor
With his curly hair and iconic striped scarf, Tom Baker was both the longest-serving and most iconic Doctor of the classic era, thanks in part to his partnership with Sarah Jane, played by the late Elizabeth Sladen.
Tom, now 84, is also known to younger fans as the narrator of the comedy sketch series Little Britain.
5. Peter Davison – 1981 to 1984
Peter's doctor was dressed as a cricketer and his personality was prone to indecision
Peter's Doctor was dressed as a cricketer and his personality was prone to indecision – although he had a vulnerable side.
Although the series' popularity declined during this time, the Doctor and his companion Adric (Matthew Waterhouse) remain fondly remembered.
In a heartbreaking scene, the series' first major death also occurred when Adric died while trying to stop a space freighter from crashing into prehistoric Earth.
6. Colin Baker – 1984 to 1986
Colin's regeneration occurred off-screen due to his sudden departure from the series
Colin Baker's time as the sharp-tongued doctor was a turbulent one. The actor's early dismissal as ratings plummeted led to a somewhat awkward recovery scene.
After the TARDIS was attacked by the villainous Time Lady scientist The Rani, the Sixth Doctor was left injured and regenerated, although his death was never reenacted on screen.
Furthermore, the Doctor was never reunited with his companion Peri (Nicola Bryant).
7. Sylvester McCoy – 1987 to 1989
The Doctor entered his seventh incarnation with his trademark cane and punctuation-printed vest
The Doctor entered his seventh incarnation with his trademark cane and punctuation-printed vest, while current EastEnders star Bonnie Langford took on the role of ditzy sidekick Mel Bush.
However, McCoy's tenure with the TARDIS ended abruptly when the BBC canceled the show in 1989.
8. Paul McGann – 1996 and 2013
After almost a decade off-screen, Doctor Who was brought back as a television film in an American co-production, with Paul McGann taking the lead role
After almost a decade off-screen, Doctor Who was brought back as a television film in an American co-production, with Paul McGann taking the lead role.
In that film, the Master (played here by Eric Roberts) attempted to steal the Doctor's remaining lives by opening the Eye of Harmony in the TARDIS, which nearly destroyed the Earth.
Fortunately, the doctor and his companion Dr. Grace Holloway (Daphne Ashbrook) destroys the Earth and results in the Master being sucked into the eye.
In this film, fans were able to see for the first time what a romance between the Doctor and his companion might look like when they shared a firework-lit kiss in the final scenes, which infuriated fans at the time.
9. Christopher Eccleston – 2005
The Eighth Doctor was a leather-jacketed man with a Nordic accent because “many planets have a north!”
The series was an instant success when Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) teamed up with Eccleston's version of The Doctor, this time a leather jacket-clad man with a Nordic accent because “many planets have a north!”
A drastic change for the series at this point was the absence of Gallifrey, which had been destroyed – off-screen – in a time war with the Daleks.
The Daleks, with their spooky golden exterior, took center stage in this new series, and in an explosive finale, thousands of alien robots attempted to conquer a futuristic version of Earth under the leadership of their Emperor.
Unfortunately, Eccleston's tenure in the TARDIS was short – largely due to reports of behind-the-scenes disagreements – but his regeneration proved epic as he kissed Rose to absorb the TARDIS vortex and save her life.
10. David Tennant – 2005 to 2010
Fan favorite David Tennant played the Tenth Doctor from 2005 to 2010
Ask most Doctor Who fans and they would overwhelmingly name David Tennant as their favorite Doctor, and fans loved his feelings for Rose Tyler.
It was also the birth of his famous partnership with Donna Noble (Catherine Tate), which saw hilarious banter between 10 and his companion.
With Ten's exit, Russell T Davies also stepped down as showrunner and his final scenes saw the fan favorite alone in the TARDIS saying “I don't want to go” before bursting into regeneration as more than 11 million viewers struggled to hold back her tears.
11. Matt Smith – 2010 to 2013
Raggedy Man: Matt Smith played the Eleventh Doctor from 2010 to 2013
Matt, 27, was the youngest Doctor ever as he had big shoes to fill while Stephen Moffatt took the reins of showrunning.
Known as the 'Ragged Doctor', fears were soon dispelled as Eleven, along with his companion Amelia Pond, instantly won over fans with his bubbly personality and signature bow tie.
He resigned after four years, saying the position had already been long enough.
12. Peter Capaldi – 2013 to 2017
Peter Capaldi played the Twelfth Doctor from 2013 to 2017
Fans felt the series returned to its classic Twelve-era roots when Scottish actor Peter took on the role.
The character was moody and prickly, but became more compassionate over time.
Fans loved the friendship between the older Doctor and his companion Clara (Jenna Coleman), while the series' first gay companion, Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie), was introduced.
13. Jodie Whittaker – 2017 to 2022
Jodie Whittaker was the first female doctor
Jodie Whittaker took on the then controversial role of the first female Doctor.
The 41-year-old actress portrayed the Time Lord of the same name on screen for four years and left the science fiction series in its final episode in October 2022. However, the series' role and script were criticized throughout its tenure.
Their farewell was seen in the episode “The Power Of The Doctor”, in which even David Tennant briefly returned.
14. Ncuti Gatwa – 2023 to date
Nucti Gatwa takes on the role of the first black actor to play the Time Lord from Christmas (pictured in the role)
Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa makes history as the first black actor ever to take on the role of the Doctor.
He will take on the iconic role from Christmas Day, having first appeared in the 60th anniversary episode in which the Doctor was “bi-generated”, meaning there were two versions at the same time.
He will cross paths with his new companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) for the first time.