There was almost a Hindu touch to the dramatic manner in which the 12th Dr Who, Peter Capaldi, burst into flames at the end of the Christmas Day special episode of the BBC’s long-running science fiction series, and was “regenerated” into the 13th, Jodie Whittaker, the first woman to take on the role.

In describing this “momentous affair”, some papers did use the word “reincarnation” when after 709 episodes of Dr Who, the “Time Lord” becomes a “Time Lady”.

In the hour-long episode, Twice Upon A Time, Scottish actor Capaldi bowed out with some advice for his successor: “Never be cruel! Never be cowardly! …Hate is always foolish and love is always wise. And you mustn’t tell anyone your name. No one will understand it anyway. Except children… Sometimes.”

His final words as his physical manifestation was consigned to flames were: “Love hard! Run fast! Be kind! Doctor, I let you go!”

Viewers saw Capaldi’s trademark ring slip out and drop to the floor and the English actress Whittaker announce Dr Who’s rebirth with the words, “Aw, Brilliant!” in her native Yorkshire accent.

But hers is a baptism of fire, metaphorically and literally. As she presses a button, the burning Tardis, the space machine in which all Dr Whos have traversed the cosmos in time and space, begins lurching violently. She attempts desperately to cling on but is tossed out above Earth.

Viewers will have to wait until autumn 2018 to discover whether Whittaker is reunited with the Tardis.

Back in 1963 the first director of the new Dr Who BBC series was an Indian, Waris Hussein, a 24-year-old fresh out of Cambridge who was given the job because everyone else thought the project was doomed. He directed the first seven episodes and “rescued” Dr Who, now the BBC’s most successful franchise sold to numerous territories across the world.

“Saw a preview of Dr Who but the transition was not shown,” said Waris on Tuesday. “Am in Mumbai and missed the full change.”

A few hardcore fans are not ready for the sex change.

“Women driver... already crashed the Tardis,” sneered one Liam Edwards.

But most expressed sadness at Capaldi’s departure and delight at Whittaker’s arrival.

“What an entrance!” wrote George Aylett, while an emotional Nicole Glasses admitted: “Well, I cried a lot.”

When Whittaker returns, one of her three assistants will be Indian-origin actress Mandip Gill.