Matt Smith IS the Doctor!

[Dino]

It does make sense to announce this now. I'm trying to think - but won't they be starting to film the next series come about April/May time?

I just watched The Next Doctor on commentary, and RTD said filming for the next special would begin 17th January. Series five will be made by the new Moffett production team whilst RTD/Gardener will make the specials which will be all shown before 2010.
So he said anyway?

Can I be the first to say

a) "He's the best Doctor ever!"
b) "When's he going to leave?"

There. That's got that nonsense out of the way.

Ha ha Ha Ha! And if the hotly tipped one gets it, look at the nonsense that will kick up/expose?

Matt Smith's down to 1.87 to 1 - Gah, he's too young, I can't cope with having a Doctor who's younger than me!!

When Doctor Who returned to BBC 1 there was a "What have I actually done with my life?" crisis I went through. A Doctor younger than me (how old is he? I'm 34) would be a bit of a knife twist!

[Jonno]

A Doctor younger than me? Pah! Been there, done that...

Alex mentioned this as a rumour the other day, which to be honest I didn't believe (sorry Alex!) but it's true that this is quite a coup for the show and is yet more proof of how highly the show is held in esteem by Auntie!

They have left it late to announce this though - I've a feeling a lot of people won't be aware of this.

[Rob McCow]

Mike said:

I remember when they announced David Tennant, I was like "who???".

And we were like "Doctor!!!"

Seriously, was that because you thought he was someone from Friends?

[Larry]

It does make sense to announce this now. I'm trying to think - but won't they be starting to film the next series come about April/May time?

.

filming for each series normaly starts around July - but the first few scripts for filming would need to be ready a few months before that so the writers would need to know the identity of the new doctor as early as possible.

I have a feeling that Moffat, already knew Tennent was not going to do series 5 long before the announcment at the tv awards and that he had already chosen the new Doctor several months ago.

[Alex]

When Doctor Who returned to BBC 1 there was a "What have I actually done with my life?" crisis I went through. A Doctor younger than me (how old is he? I'm 34) would be a bit of a knife twist!

He's 26, so at least he's likely to be younger than a lot of us on here...But still, it just doesn't seem right to have a Doctor that young.

Alex mentioned this as a rumour the other day, which to be honest I didn't believe (sorry Alex!)

I'm hurt Jonno. I don't know if our friendship will ever be the same again to be honest. I mean, you know I'd never lie to you... Though to be honest I didn't think it was likely either, but just posted it incase anyone else had heard something similiar!

[SiHart]

Confidential news!

BBC News has announced that the identity of the actor who will play the Eleventh Doctor, succeeding current Doctor David Tennant, will be announced tomorrow.

The news will come in a special edition of tie-in documentary series Doctor Who Confidential, which is being transmitted on BBC One tomorrow evening at 5.35pm. The episode will also be shown at the same time on BBC Big Screens in town centres across the UK.

The actor was confirmed in the role over the Christmas period and will begin filming for Series Five this summer, for transmission in 2010. New executive producer Piers Wenger is quoted as saying: "We believe the actor is going to bring something very special to the role and will make it absolutely their own. I just can't wait to tell everyone who it is - it has been a nail-biting Christmas trying to keep this under wraps!"

The release from the BBC Press Office confirms that the Confidential episode has been retitled "The Eleventh Doctor" (it was formerly advertised as "The Ten Doctors"), and will feature the actor concerned giving his or her thoughts on having been cast. The press release also suggests that the last of David Tennant's episodes as the Doctor will be broadcast in the New Year of 2010.

The BBC have created a special trailer for the Doctor Who Confidential episode, which is also available to British internet users on their official YouTube page.

Si xx

[WhiteCrow]

Hmmm - even if filming starts in July, there'll still be sorting out costumes, dress rehearsals etc. The way people spy on Doctor Who, it'd be a hard secret to keep.

You can imagine it now, "oh my God - Joanna Lumley just bought a flat in Cardiff - oh no". 4 months of those kind of rumours would drive me mad.

[Captain Tancredi]

Well, I think in the circumstances I owe it to myself to keep offline until tomorrow evening, so nobody make any major lifestyle decisions without me...

[Pip Madeley]

I've just found out the news.

OMG! FFS! RTD must die! SQUEE! Etc.

[Dino]

Well, I think in the circumstances I owe it to myself to keep offline until tomorrow evening, so nobody make any major lifestyle decisions without me...

About to ask, is it de riguer to be on this thread at the very time it's announced to offer live commentary? Or would it have to be in spoilers?

[Larry]

hmm, I can't for the life of me think what DWM's front page headline for their febuary edition can possibaly be ..

[Larry]

You can imagine it now, "oh my God - Joanna Lumley just bought a flat in Cardiff - oh no". 4 months of those kind of rumours would drive me mad.

be even worse if it was George W Bush, "buys a flat in cardiff" after all he'll be in need of a new job soon..

[Zbigniev Hamson]

I can't believe they'd cast someone so bland-looking as The Doctor. Can you imagine a lot of merchandise shifting with that visage on the packaging?

Bland?! He looks like Joseph Merrick!

[WhiteCrow]

As I put it though - remember all the hype which now surrounds David Tennant.

If you're a canny fan, you can get stalking the 11th Doctor a good 15 months ahead of the competition. Get in there girls!!!

[SiHart]

Peter Davison, apparently has said it's someone we won't be expecting...

The Daily Mail are tipping Paterson Joseph, so it won't be him and quoted one Bradley Edwards (Have they been listening to Heist! ) who said ""It will never be the same". Wel duhhh!

Si xx

[Larry]

If you're a canny fan, you can get stalking the 11th Doctor a good 15 months ahead of the competition. Get in there girls!!!

Mike, now you know very well you shouldn't give Ali, such ideas..

[Larry]

Peter Davison, apparently has said it's someone we won't be expecting...



Si xx

in a way I think that's good as an actor who is perhaps say as Tennent was before he got the part not hugely known is probably more likely to commit himself to 2 or 3 series then what a very well known person who gets lots of work is.

[Dino]

The story made page 3 of The Daily Mirror today.
Ellis and Ejiofor mentioned not a shred of Joesph, and I'm so happy and reliefed to read
"Early favourite James Nesbitt recently said he was not interested in the role."

As it hasn't been leaked I'm amazed every newpaper has got on side with the BBC over this?
That must show how much love there is for the programme!
Let's not compare with the late 80's coverage just yet... just bask in this glorious moment.
It won't even matter if the choice disappoints, this is television history tonight.

[Paul Hayes]

It won't even matter if the choice disappoints, this is television history tonight.

It is stunningly bizarre to think the BBC are announcing drama casting decisions in special television shows, rather than bunging out a press release. You can't see it happening for EastEnders or Merlin, can you?

[Andrew Curnow]

Funny Si should mention Peter Davison there, because driving home from town this morning I suddenly thought - maybe they've (re)cast Peter Davison as the eleventh Doctor!

Mind you, I also thought (listening to her on the radio) that Liza Tarbuck would be a good choice too, so maybe it's me...

Given the retitled episode, does this mean that the whole 40 minutes is going to be about the new man/woman in the role? I mean, with the best will in the world, if they've only signed on the dotted line over Christmas what on earth will he/she be able to talk about for 40 minutes?

[WhiteCrow]

Mike, now you know very well you shouldn't give Ali, such ideas..

He he!

Well she says she doesn't want to know ahead of time, and I put this to her.

Seriously though if someone unexpected like Enis McTeal who you've never heard of gets it, you are that much more likely to get an autograph and picture of them now than in 18 months time.

It'll be interesting to see if Tennant-fever dies down once he leaves the show - it'll be interesting to see what David does next. I get the feeling lots of "serious" drama playing unlikeable/challenging characters like rapists, murderers and politicians.

[Martin Curnow]

Exciting isn't it. Waiting all day just to hear who the new Who is. He won't even be filiming for months. Excellent PR by the beeb on this - they've even got a trailer up for the announcement!

[Larry]

He he!


It'll be interesting to see if Tennant-fever dies down once he leaves the show - it'll be interesting to see what David does next. I get the feeling lots of "serious" drama playing unlikeable/challenging characters like rapists, murderers and politicians.

one things for sure David, is now one of the hottest properties on tv, and both the BBC and itv will be so desperate to get him that Tennent can wright his own pay cheque and they'll pay it.

[WhiteCrow]

I see ITV killing his career like they did with Ross Kemp if he goes down that track!

[duncan]

I like the thought of it being someone unexpected and I have been thinking of just who it could be. I know that Tom Chambers has quit Holby City and he was suggest by Stephen Hannan over on Ninth and Beyond forum. I think he'd be brilliant.