Sunday 30 June 2013

Shearsmith talks An Adventure in Space and Time

Actor and comedian Reece Shearsmith has spoken briefly about playing Patrick Troughton in the 50th Anniversary docudrama, An Adventure in Space and Time.
Reece-Shearsmith-Patrick-Troughton-adventure Shearsmith told Digital Spy it is only a small scene: “I was honoured to be part of it. I think [Mark Gatiss] just always had this idea that I would [play Troughton]. It’s very small – I’m literally only in a very small little bit, but it was lovely to be part of it.”

He added: “Mark was in his absolute element, wandering around the TARDIS… the attention to detail was immaculate. He’s done a really good rendering of that time and that story. I think it’s a real treat.”

Of course, Shearsmith is asked about the possibility of himself becoming the 12th Doctor.

“Oh God, no! I’ve literally not even thought about it. I’ve had a few people tweeting me that, saying, ‘You should be the Doctor’… I’m like, ‘What??’ It could be literally anyone. I can’t imagine who we’re gonna get. But it would be good to go older, I think, because they’ve done two younger ones."
Source

Happy birthday Maureen

Happy 70th birthday (belated)
(29th June 1943) 

 

Maureen O'Brien played Vicki in 1965 during William Hartnell's tenure as the Doctor. She replaced Carole Ann Ford (Susan), and made her debut in the serial The Rescue and left in The Myth Makers.  

Recently, O'Brien has worked on a number of Doctor Who-related audio plays for Big Finish Productions, initially playing a new character for the Dalek Empire IV miniseries, as well as for AUDIO: Year of the Pig, then reprising the role of Vicki for the Companion Chronicles. She has also participated in DVD commentaries and interviews for BBC Video releases of stories from her era.

 
With William Hartnell (The Romans: Inferno 1965)

Friday 28 June 2013

Belated Mary Tamm Post

In memorandum of the late Mary Tamm who died 26th July 2012 from the evil that is cancer. I apologise for the lateness of this anniversary post.


RIP
22 March 1950 – 26 July 2012

Happy Birthday Romana

Today is the 62nd birthday of Lalla Ward 


Born Sarah Ward, her stage name of Lalla comes from her inability to pronounce her own name when she was a toddler. She is of course married to Prof Richard Dawkins (who had a cameo appearance in the 2008 episode The Stolen Earth, with David Tennant as the Doctor). Lalla was also briefly married to former Doctor - Tom Baker.

 As Romana

Lalla is best known for her portrayal of the second incarnation of Romandvortralundar or Romana for short. She made her debut as Romana in the 1979 serial Destiny Of The Daleks alongside Tom Baker as the Doctor. She had appeared in Doctor Who in the previous series as Princess Astra in the Doctor Who story The Armageddon Factor which was part of The Key To Time series arc. 






As Princess Astra
 

Thursday 27 June 2013

Wand Company Launches Two New Sonic Screwdriver Remote Controls






 The Wand Company have teamed up with BBC Worldwide again to produce two more Sonic Screwdriver Remote Controls, check out the details and pictures below (click on them for bigger versions):

This summer, in response to massive consumer demand, The Wand Company will reveal their new, authentic Tenth Doctor’s Sonic Screwdriver Remote Control. Painstakingly 3D scanned from the original screen-used prop, kindly loaned to The Wand Company by David Tennant himself, this Tenth Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver is a faithful clone, CNC machined from aluminium, crammed full of technology and is a fully functioning gesture-based universal remote control that looks, feels and works just like the real prop.




Previewing on the ThinkGeek Booth at San Diego Comic-Con in July, the Tenth Doctor’s Sonic Screwdriver Remote will be available exclusively through selected retailers in the UK, US and Australia in October to coincide with BBC Worldwide’s Tenth Doctor celebrations (BBCW have been celebrating a different Doctor during every month of 2013) of the popular and long-running series’ 50th anniversary year.

To further commemorate Doctor Who’s 50th Anniversary year, The Wand Company is also launching a limited-edition gold and silver plated version of their enormously successful Eleventh Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver Remote Control. A small quantity will be available first at San Diego Comic-Con, and then from other selected retailers in the UK and US, but with only 250 of these special, individually laser-numbered Sonic Screwdrivers ever being produced, this is the ultimate collectible for Doctor Who fans.
The Tenth Doctor’s Sonic Screwdriver, officially licensed from BBC Worldwide, is a 1:1 scale replica of the original filming prop. As well as being a fully-functioning universal learning remote control, the Sonic Screwdriver comes with a built-in rechargeable battery, has authentic sound effects taken from the BBC sound effects archives, 10 special secret Morse code messages to discover and a light-up blue tip. It is supplied with a die cast metal stand and comes in its own protective hard case. The Tenth Doctor’s Sonic Screwdriver is expected to retail for £69.95 in the UK, $109.95 in the US and $129.95 in Australia.

The 50th Anniversary gold and silver plated Eleventh Doctor’s Sonic Screwdriver Supplied in a premium high-quality presentation box, with a hand-painted stand and certificate of authenticity, each unit is individually laser-numbered. Limited to 250 units worldwide, and expected to retail for £119.95 in the UK and $199.95 in the US.

The Wand Company

Thanks to Blogtor Who



Tuesday 25 June 2013

New Zealand Mint Doctor Who coin update

.
In collaboration, BBCW ANZ and New Zealand Mint offer this stunning 1oz silver proof coin to celebrate Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary (pictured left). Issued by New Zealand Mint as legal tender under the authority of Niue Island, only 10,000 1oz silver proof coins will be released in special TARDIS packaging.


 The coin’s reverse depicts an engraved relief of the iconic TARDIS used by the Doctor to travel through space and time. This bursts forth out of a dynamic high quality colour printed background representing time travel. The coins border features the finely engraved words DOCTOR WHO 50TH ANNIVERSARY 1963 – 2013. The coin’s obverse features the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the 2013 year-date and the monetary denomination.
The 50th anniversary coin is packaged in a special presentation case in the shape of the iconic TARDIS (pictured right). The packaging has the distinctive sound effects of the TARDIS when opened, making it entirely unique. The doors of the TARDIS open to display the 1oz coin and Certificate of Authenticity.

You can purchase here



Friday 21 June 2013

Jenna-Louise Coleman to star in Death Comes to Pemberley


 

It’s been announced that Jenna Coleman will play Lydia Wickham in Death Comes To Pemberley, a major new 3x60-minute serial that will be made for BBC One and directed by the BAFTA award-winning Daniel Percival. 
 
Based on the bestselling novel by P.D. James, the story returns to the world of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and involves its characters in a new tale of murder and emotional mayhem.
Producer David Thompson said, ‘We're delighted to be filming this witty, original and beautifully imagined book from Britain's best loved crime writer - murder and Jane Austen, a delicious combination! This will be a very unexpected and audacious period drama. And we are so pleased with the cast that have been drawn to it…’

Aside from Jenna Coleman that cast includes Matthew Rhys who stars as Mr Darcy and Anna Maxwell Martin – Suki in the Ninth Doctor adventure The Long Game - who plays Elizabeth.  Doctor Who fans will also recognise Tom Ward – Captain Latimer in The Snowmen and here playing Colonel Fitzwilliam, and James Norton who recently appeared as Onegin in Cold War. Eleanor Tomlinson - Eve in The Sarah Jane Adventures two-parter, The Mad Woman in the Attic – is also on board playing Georgiana Darcy.

Filming on Death Comes To Pemberley will begin this month on location in Yorkshire. The drama was commissioned by Controller of BBC Drama Commissioning, Ben Stephenson and former Controller of BBC One, now Director of Television, Danny Cohen.

A message from Matt Smith



As promised by the official  Doctor Who page earlier this month, here is the message from the Doctor himself, Math Smith:


Thursday 20 June 2013

The Hartnell Years In Colour


New Doctor to be revealed in August (?)

 
 
According to the Radio Times, the actor to be replace current Doctor Matt Smith; could be revealed just prior to the shooting of the Christmas special in the autumn.

Filming of the special takes place around August/September followed by the filming of Series 34 (8).

Initially the BBC had hoped to begin filming the Christmas special earlier, with some sources suggesting July as a potential date.

“Suffice to say we are completely on track,” said a spokeswoman

Monday 17 June 2013

Red Dwarf star interested in Doctor Who




Craig Charles has stated that he would be interested in becoming the Twelth Doctor.

The 50 year old star is known to millions of sci-fi fans as Lister from Red Dwarf, said he would be up for becoming the first black Doctor. Even though he admits the chances of becoming the Doctor are slim, it would be an honour to trade in Starbug for the TARDIS, he is happy treading the cobbles of Coronation Street.

But he admitted he would have to grit his teeth if he got the gig as he thinks the effects on the iconic show are 'rubbish'.

Craig said: "Yeah, having a black Doctor Who would be double cool.

"To be asked by the Beeb would be great, its such a classic show.

"But I think there would probably be too much cross-over with Red Dwarf, as we've got a new series lined up next year.

"Also, I would have to grit my teeth a bit, because the thing about Dr Who that always annoyed me was the graphics are crap.

"But, even if I can't be the first black Doctor, I am the first black man to own a house on Corrie, which is as good a claim to fame."





Sunday 16 June 2013

Happy birthday Susan

Today, is Carole Ann Ford's 73rd birthday


   

A big happy 73rd birthday also to Carole Ann Ford (born 16 June 1940). Carole was the original companion, the First Doctor's grand-daughter, who fled with him from Gallifrey, went to school here on Earth, and talked the Doctor into eventually accepting her two teachers Ian and Barbara as further travelling companions. Carole left after a year, returning to the role for The Five Doctors and Dimensions in Time.
 
  
AT the controls of the TARDIS with William Hartnell

Wednesday 12 June 2013

Katy Manning: Doctor Who 'filming was full on'

A Doctor Who story from the early 1970s that was filmed at Dover Castle has been restored to colour for the first time since it was broadcast. 
 

The castle doubled up as a prison for the classic 1971 Mind of Evil story featuring third Doctor, Jon Pertwee. 

Katy Manning, who played the Doctor's companion Jo Grant, told BBC South East Today she had very happy memories of the filming, when she returned to the castle for the first time in more than 40 years.






BBC confirms their search for the Twelth Doctor is onging

The BBC have denied that they have offered the part of the Twelth Doctor to Rory Kinear.

 

Ever since Matt Smith confirmed his departure earlier this month; rumours have been strife as to who has been handed the key to the TARDIS when he leaves at Christmas. They include: Ben Daniels, Rory Kinear, Russell Tovey, Paterson Joseph and even Idris Elba:


"No, I don't think I'd be any good in Doctor Who, man. I don't look good in a bow tie"


Tuesday 11 June 2013

Has Rory Kinear been offered the role of the Doctor?

When Matt Smith announced last weekend that he would bow out as Doctor Who in the Christmas special, many fans hoped that the BBC would use the opportunity to replace him with a woman or a black actor.

 Rory Kinnear in Skyfall.
They are, however, likely to be disappointed, as Mandrake can disclose that the role of the 12th Time Lord has been offered to Rory Kinnear.
“He has been offered the part and we are waiting to hear if he will accept,” says my man in the Tardis. “He is the perfect choice.”
The 35-year-old alumnus of St Paul’s School, George Osborne’s alma mater, is the son of Roy Kinnear, the celebrated actor.
He played the MI6 officer Bill Tanner in Skyfall and Quantum of Solace, the James Bond films, and won acclaim for his stage performances in productions of Othello, Mary Stuart and Hamlet.

Full article

Doctor Who fans want to send a TARDIS into Space

A pair of Doctor Who fans will send a replica TARDIS into space to celebrate the show's 50th anniversary.

Robert Doyle and his daughter Alex have raised $33,000 (£21,000) in an online campaign to fund the project, the Daily Express reports.

 They intend to send the replica into space with a camera on the outside, allowing pictures of the TARDIS in flight to be sent back to Earth.

Doyle, from Florida, said: "I was always a Doctor Who fan in school - I wore a Doctor Who scarf. Tom Baker was my favourite - he was always The Doctor to me.

"The bug caught on in an infectious way so we wanted to do something to celebrate the show we both enjoy so much.

"We mentioned putting a TARDIS into space and our first thought was that it was a ridiculous idea. But at the same time it was definitely appealing so we looked into it and saw we weren't going to be burdened with the cost."




He explained: "Now we have exceeded our budget we can do things that we wouldn't have been able to do otherwise - make a bigger TARDIS, put a camera on the outside for 'selfies' and so on."

The campaign finishes at the end of June, and Doyle will then make more definite plans once he has a decided budget to work with.

A collection of messages from the project's website will be put inside the TARDIS for the flight.

"I just can't wait to see pictures of the TARDIS up in space it's so exciting - people have been so generous and we're really grateful we'll all be able to enjoy this together," Doyle added.

Sunday 9 June 2013

Amazon UK celebrates The Doctor

 

Amazon UK have been celbrating the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who by having each Doctor represent each month. 

January

February

March

April

May

June



Saturday 8 June 2013

New Walking Tour Announced



 The Doctor Who Experience has announced details of the new Doctor Who Walking Tour in Cardiff. Check out the details below:
Directed by the award winning Doctor Who novelist Gary Russell, this amazing opportunity allows you to get even closer to your favourite show this summer plus the chance to see up closed the props used from the show in the very location they aired on TV!
Lasting up to an hour, the official tours will visit over thirty-one locations featured in the filming of the show, including: the building where the Weeping Angels watched Sally Sparrow and the Police Station in the Blink episode; the American diner Amy River Song, Amy and Rory met the Doctor inside within the Impossible Astronaut episode, and the Wales Millennium Centre, where episodes including: The Girl Who Waited, The Sound of Drums, and Vincent and the Doctor were all filmed.
With tickets priced at only £5 per adult and free for children aged 16 and under, these tours are an absolute must for any Doctor Who fan!
For more information and how to book places, please contact the Doctor Who Experience by email contact@doctorwhoexperience.com, stating 'Doctor Who Experience Walking Tours' within the subject header. Please be aware that the Walking Tours will take place at weekends only.

Visit the Doctor Who Experience website HERE
 

Jenna-Louise Coleman - "We still do not know who the Twelth Doctor is"

Jenna-Louise told the BBC that the identity of the twelth Doctor is still unknown.

Speaking at the official opening of the BBC's Broadcasting House yesterday (7th June), the actress said: "Everybody else in the building has asked me who the next Doctor is, and I can tell you honestly, we don't know. It's going to be a long, long search. But yes, I'm being asked that question a lot."

She went on to say that she is "completely open" to what type of actor is cast in the role, adding that she has "lots of confidence" in showrunner Steven Moffat and the Doctor Who team.

Colin Baker Birthday Wishes

Today, 8th June is the 70th birthday of Colin Baker who portrayed the sixth incarnation of the Doctor.


Colin as the newly regenerated Doctor at the end of Peter Davison's swan song story The Caves Of Androzani



 And relaxed outside the battered looking TARDIS in his multi-colourted jacket






Update on the rumoured reveal of the Twelth Doctor

As stated in myt previous post, there had been rumour circulating that the BBC were to unveil the new Doctor after a supposed leak as to the identity of the actor who is to take over from the departing Matt Smith at Christmas.

TV executive and producer Ed Strading tweeted Steven Moffat says this morning "I haven't a clue who it is; we've barely started".  So, there is to be no announcement later today as to who it is.


The official Doctor Who twitter feed also confirmed: We can confirm there is no announcement planned for today.

 Starburst Magazine clainmed that their sources had come up with three serious contenders for the role of the Twelth Doctor - Domhall Gleeson, Daniel Kaluuya and Dominic Cooper.

There you go, listen to rumour all you like but, until it is officially released via Steven moffat, a memeber of the Doctor Who production team or the BBC, do not beleive what you read. I guess we have to wait for the announcement in July at the earliest then.

Friday 7 June 2013

Rumour is rife that the Twelth DOCTOR IS ....

Rumour is circulating this evening that the BBC WILL reveal who is to take over from Matt Smith who departs this Christmas. Apparently, their hand has been forced, and are to unveil the Twelth Doctor ahead of their intended date next month. Specualtion has it that the BBC have already gone ahead with the photoshoot with the actor.


And the actor who is set to be handed the key to the TARDIS is ......

BEN DANIELS 
 
 No sooner had the news broke,  Saturday 1st June 2013, that Matt Smith had decided to hand in the TARDIS key, that a a fan put this superb image together. Link
 gallifreyan:

Ben Daniels is The Twelfth Doctor
 

However, the BBC have yet to confirm.

Ben Daniels, 48, would be the eldest actor to portray the Doctor since Sylvester McCoy who was  44 when he became the Seventh Doctor.

Ben Daniels was born 10th June 1964, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England.

Daniels' roles include:  Wish you Were Here (1988),  The Paradise Club (1989), Cutting It (itv 2002-2004), Ian Flemming:Bondmaker (Ian Flemming, 2005), Law &Order UK (2009-2010) and most recently in Merlin (2011) and can be seen in the ilm Jack The Giant Slayer (2013).







Samual West wants to be the Doctor

Speaking to the Radio Times, Samual West has put his name forward to play the twelth incarnation of the Doctor.

Ever since Matt Smith announced his plans to depart Doctor Who this Christmas his successor has been the subject of wild speculation. Will it be a woman? Will we see our first black Doctor? Will it be Simon Cowell? (If you're inclined to bet on the latter, his odds are currently 250/1). But one actor whose name hasn't been among the favourites is Samuel West - until now... 



Speaking to RadioTimes.com on the set of series two of Mr Selfridge, the actor revealed his lifelong ambition to play the Time Lord. "If you’re asking whether I’d like to play Doctor Who, I absolutely would. I’ve always wanted to playDoctor Who. Hamlet and Doctor Who - and I’ve done Hamlet."  

So why does West think he should win a role that's been immortalised by the likes of William Hartnell, Colin Baker, David Tennant and, most recently, Smith? "They can’t go on getting younger forever. Every Doctor Who, almost without exception, has been younger than the previous one. Eventually we’ll just have this glittering foetus – that’s not going to work.

Age aside, West also has a few opinions on the type of Doctor he would be, given the chance. "I think he should be slightly other. I remember when I first started watching it he was a little bit like a frightening grandfather and I don’t want to be a grandfather but I don’t think he should be cuddly. 'Other' is the word, he should be a bit 'other'." 

my opinion on Samual West as a contender: I can see him in the role to be fair. Mind you, he does remind me a tad of Colin Baker though. We will soon find out come July ....


If they do go older this time, what about Steven MacKintosh? At 46, he is 2 years older than Patrick Troughton when he replaced William Hartnell. He is very versitile, and his roles have varied from playing a trans-woman in Different For Girls (1996), a vampire in Underworld: Evolution & Rise Of The lycans to tv roles such as Luther, The Amazing Mrs Pritchard and the upcoming tv series What Remains.


However, I can not see either of these two great actors being chosen, more's the pity. July can not come soon enough. I need to know who is next in line ....


Thursday 6 June 2013

Alex Kingston on Matt Smith's exit

"I wasn't surprised [by the news], because he and I had a chat," Kingston explained during an appearance on BBC One's The One Show last night (June 5).

"At some stage, you have to move on and we did discuss when would be the right time in a young actor's career [to leave] if they were very associated with a particular role."

Kingston added that 30-year-old Smith was wise to depart the series before he became "typecast" as the Doctor.

"You have to move on, otherwise it becomes very difficult," she said.



Neil Gaiman on casting the Twelth Doctor


 

 Neil Gaiman who has penned two episodes for Matt Smith's Doctor - The Doctor's WIfe and A Nightmare In SIlver had this to say on the casting of the next actor to portray our time-travelling hero:

I think that if you’d asked me who should be the 11th Doctor 5 years ago I wouldn’t have listed Matt Smith, because I didn’t know who he was or what he was capable of, and if you’d asked me who should play Sherlock Holmes in a modern day revival around the same time I wouldn’t have said Benedict Cumberbatch, because I didn’t know who he was either.
I actually like it when The Doctor is a relatively unknown actor, or one without one huge role that made them famous. A star, like Sir Ian, brings all the other roles they’ve ever played to the table when they act. Seeing John Hurt as the (Spoiler) at the end of the Name of the Doctor, meant that this was a certain type of part with a certain amount of gravitas, and you understood that John Hurt was bringing everything with it (including being John Hurt), just as Derek Jacobi did as the Master. 

But I like to see The Doctor as The Doctor, and an actor who doesn’t bring baggage is a grand sort of thing. A star waiting to happen. So I don’t want to see Helen Mirren or Sir Ian McKellen or Chiwetel Ejiofor, or any of the famous names people are suggesting.

I want to see The Doctor. I want to be taken by surprise. I want to squint at a photo of the person online and go “but how can that be The Doctor?”. Then I want to be amazingly, delightedly, completely proven wrong, and, six episodes in, I want to wonder how I could have been so blind. Because this is the Doctor. Of course it is.

Monday 3 June 2013

Matt Smith's replacement could be revealed next month?

According to The Radio Times, the actor who will be the twelth Doctor could have the key to the TARDIS as early as July. Whoever it is, has to be revealed before filming begins on the Christmas special which is due to be filmed July/August.

 

The decision will be made by a small team of BBC executives and kept under wraps. It will be decided by showrunner Steven Moffat, Danny Cohen, the BBC’s new head of television, controller of drama commissioning Ben Stephenson, casting director Andy Pryor and the show’s incoming executive producer Brian Minchin.

The new series, expected to be 12 episodes long, begins filming in the autumn.

A BBC source also moved to squash speculation that showrunner Steven Moffat could also be calling it a day, insisting that he has signed up for at least another year.

Click link above for full article.

Sunday 2 June 2013

Jenna-Louise Coleman On Matt Smith

The official BBC Doctor Who page has updated their latest news on the impending departure of Matt Smith as the eleventh incarnation of the Time Lord. Here is what she had to say:

Jenna Coleman, adds: "I could not have imagined coming into the show without Matt as my Doctor, holding my hand, really, quite literally. I totally lucked-out in having a creative, generous, clever, and lovely fella to work alongside day after day.

 


I feel so privileged to have been part of Matt's reign, to have to been companion to what is and what I think always will be one of our greatest Doctors.

He is so in love with the show, he works tirelessly hard, surprises me every day, always creating and discovering something new about the Doctor. A true gent, a leading man and a very special friend.

I know it will be a very difficult goodbye for me, but I for one can't wait to see where his career takes him next.  And of course with the same welcome I was brought in with, I look forward to welcoming the next Doctor. BUT it's not over till it's over. See ya at the big 5-0!"

Video by Matt Smith has yet to be released. 

Clarence And The Whisper Men

How did Clarence come to know of the Whisper men inside his prison cell? Here is the answer, written by Steven Moffat.


BBC ONE News HD Video - Matt Smith is Leaving Doctor Who at Christmas


Saturday 1 June 2013

MATT SMITH Is To Leave Doctor Who!

In 2010, he  made Bow Ties Cool. And an hour ago, the BBC announced that the Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith is to leave Doctor Who at Christmas!

BBC Doctor Who Official:

Matt first stepped into the TARDIS in 2010 and will leave the role at the end of this year after starring in the unmissable 50th Anniversary in November and regenerating in the Christmas special. During his time as the Doctor, Matt has reached over 30 million unique UK viewers and his incarnation has seen the show go truly global. He was also the first actor to be nominated for a BAFTA in the role.


Matt quickly won over fans to be voted Best Actor by Readers of Doctor Who Magazine for the 2010 season. He also received a nod for his first series at the National Television Awards, before winning the Most Popular Male Drama Performance award in 2012. 

Matt has played one of the biggest roles in TV with over 77 million fans in the UK, USA and Australia alone!

Matt Smith says: "Doctor Who has been the most brilliant experience for me as an actor and a bloke, and that largely is down to the cast, crew and fans of the show. I'm incredibly grateful to all the cast and crew who work tirelessly every day, to realise all the elements of the show and deliver Doctor Who to the audience. Many of them have become good friends and I'm incredibly proud of what we have achieved over the last four years. 

Having Steven Moffat as show runner write such varied, funny, mind bending and brilliant scripts has been one of the greatest and most rewarding challenges of my career. It's been a privilege and a treat to work with Steven, he's a good friend and will continue to shape a brilliant world for the Doctor.

The fans of Doctor Who around the world are unlike any other; they dress up, shout louder, know more about the history of the show (and speculate more about the future of the show) in a way that I've never seen before, your dedication is truly remarkable. Thank you so very much for supporting my incarnation of the Time Lord, number Eleven, who I might add is not done yet, I'm back for the 50th anniversary and the Christmas special!

It's been an honour to play this part, to follow the legacy of brilliant actors, and helm the TARDIS for a spell with 'the ginger, the nose and the impossible one'. But when ya gotta go, ya gotta go and Trenzalore calls. Thank you guys. Matt."

Steven Moffat, lead writer and executive producer, says : "Every day, on every episode, in every set of rushes, Matt Smith surprised me: the way he'd turn a line, or spin on his heels, or make something funny, or out of nowhere make me cry, I just never knew what was coming next. The Doctor can be clown and hero, often at the same time, and Matt rose to both challenges magnificently. And even better than that, given the pressures of this extraordinary show, he is one of the nicest and hardest-working people I have ever had the privilege of knowing. Whatever we threw at him - sometimes literally - his behaviour was always worthy of the Doctor.

But great actors always know when it's time for the curtain call, so this Christmas prepare for your hearts to break, as we say goodbye to number Eleven. Thank you Matt - bow ties were never cooler.


Of course, this isn't the end of the story, because now the search begins. Somewhere out there right now - all unknowing, just going about their business - is someone who's about to become the Doctor. A life is going to change, and Doctor Who will be born all over again! After 50 years, that's still so exciting!"

Having starred alongside three different companions, Amy Pond (Karen Gillan), Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) and most recently Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman), Matt's Doctor has fought Daleks and Cybermen, as well as Weeping Angels in New York. Regularly heard shouting 'run' and 'Geronimo', through Matt's Doctor fans have been introduced to a new culinary combination - fish fingers and custard!

Matt's spectacular exit is yet to be revealed and will be kept tightly under wraps. He will return to BBC One screens in the unmissable 50th anniversary episode on Saturday 23rd November 2013 - TUNE IN!

There will be exclusive quotes from Jenna-Louise Coleman tomorrow as well as a special video  from Matt Smith on the BBC Doctor Who site.