For months now, there has been a whole lot of chatter, controversy and excitement in the build up to Jodie Whittaker taking on the iconic role of Doctor Who.

Is it any wonder then that last night (Sunday 7 October), over eight million people tuned in to see Whittaker debut as the Thirteenth Time Lord, and the first female Doctor in its 55-year long history.

A role which has, previously, always been given to men. Sure, women have appeared in the iconic series: Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), Donna Noble (Catherine Tate), Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman), Amy Pond (Karen Gillan), Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie), and Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman). But they’ve always been cast as the ‘love interest’ or assistant – until now.

As she crashed onto our small screens on BBC One, people took to social media to share their first reactions – and if they’re anything to go by, she’s brilliant. From revelling in seeing a woman on screen actually “fixing and making things” to Whittaker “nailing the character in seconds”, the show’s fans have spoken.

You can read some of the best Twitter reactions below.

Twitter erupts over Jodie Whittaker’s debut as Doctor Who