Tony Blair’s new hairstyle has Doctor Who fans in a frenzy

Fans on social media amused themselves by comparing the former prime minister to characters from popular culture

Tony Blair’s new hairstyle is causing a stir on social media, not least among Doctor Who fans, who spotted the former prime minister’s resemblance to a beloved actor.

They noticed Blair’s grey mullet makes him look a lot like late actor William Hartnell, who starred as the first Doctor in the first series of the BBC sci-fi show.

“Doctor Who” began trending on Twitter soon after Blair’s hairstyle was revealed, with many fans sharing side-by-side comparisons of him and Hartnell.

“Tony Blair announced as next Doctor Who, reprising the role of William Hartnell,” one joked, while another asked: “Why is Tony Blair cosplaying as William Hartnell?”

“Reliably informed that Tony Blair is the next Doctor,” another tweeted.

Hartnell, who died aged 67 in 1975, played the Doctor from 1963 at the show’s inception until 1966. He made a final appearance in 1973, for the show’s 10th anniversary story, “The Three Doctors”.

Blair’s dramatic new look was unveiled as he was interviewed by Paul Brand for ITV about a potential Scottish Independence referendum.

William Hartnell as the Doctor (Getty Images)

Elsewhere on social media, Blair invited less-flattering comparisons to figures in popular culture, with many complaining that his appearance was distracting them from the subject at hand.

Among the figures he drew comparisons to were Peter Stringfellow, David Icke, Doc from Back to the Future, and Elrond from Lord of the Rings.

“I was there 3000 years ago, when Isildur took the Ring. I was there the day the strength of men failed,” one Lord of the Rings fan wrote in a widely shared tweet.

“I'm enjoying how much Britain is enjoying Tony Blair's new hair. We're a nation that knows how to amuse itself,” wrote author and journalist Caitlin Moran.