The BBC has confirmed that actor David Tennant is to swap his tights for the Tardis, unveiling the star of Casanova as the next Doctor Who.
Tennant, a classically trained actor, was confirmed as the frontrunner for the role last month when the BBC admitted that Christopher Eccleston was hanging up his leather jacket at the end of the current series.
"I'm delighted, excited and honoured to be the tenth Doctor," he said yesterday. "I grew up loving Doctor Who and it has been my lifelong dream to get my very own Tardis."
The revived drama, overseen by acclaimed screenwriter Russell T Davies, has proved a ratings hit for the corporation on Saturday evenings. Davies said yesterday that the prospect of a regeneration at the end of the current 13-part series was a positive move.
"Christopher Eccleston's wonderful Doctor has reinvented the role so it now appeals to the best actors in the land," he said. "Regeneration is a huge part of the programme's mythology and I'm delighted that new, young viewers can now have this experience."
When news leaked out that Eccleston planned to depart, the BBC was forced to apologise to the actor after falsely attributing quotes to him which suggested he was leaving for fear of being typecast.
The series, which also stars Billie Piper as the Doctor's sidekick Rose Tyler, has turned back the clock in more ways than one. As well as attracting up to 10.5 million viewers, it has provoked complaints from parents worried that it is too scary for younger children.
BBC controller of drama commissioning Jane Tranter has already ordered a Christmas special and a second 13-part series of Doctor Who, which will be screened next year.
Caption: New Doctor David Tennant
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