Steven Moffat on Peter Capaldi's Doctor is 'energetic and full of vitality'

Peter Capaldi will make his début as the Twelfth Doctor in this year's Doctor Who Christmas special, and begins filming the new series from January. Series 35 (8) will air in autumn 2014.

Doctor Who writer Steven Moffat has revealed that Peter Capaldi "leaps around the place" following his regeneration scene.

The show's 50th anniversary special, 'The Day of the Doctor' aired at the weekend and saw Capaldi briefly appear as the Twelfth Doctor for the first time, but the actor will make his official début in this year's Christmas special.

Moffat told journalists at the Official Doctor Who Celebration in London yesterday: "We've only seen the tiniest moment. It's just the beginning of a process really. Of course, he's brilliant. And just seeing the energy and vitality that he brings to his performance, he works - he's like Matt [Smith] - he works, he's a worker. And he's an extraordinary vital performer."

He added: "The man is not at all elderly in style, he leaps around the place probably more than any other Doctor in that first scene. But that's not how he's gonna play it, he's in a state of post-regeneration madness. It's something we're still working on."

Neve McIntosh will be returning as Madame Vastra and had this to say "It will be sad not to be working with Matt  again but I’m really looking forward to Peter taking over and seeing what he does with it. [Madame Vastra, Jenny and Strax will] be helping the Doctor more, but I can’t say anything else."


Alex Kingston will reprise her role as River Song : "I look forward to sharing more of River with you in the future, but… spoilers!"