Dr Who? You might very well ask
- Publication: News Letter
- Date: 2009-01-05
- Author: Tom Rayner
- Page: 11
- Language: English
NEARLY seven million people tuned in to see relatively unknown actor Matt Smith named as the next Dr Who on Saturday evening.
The BBC said yesterday that Dr Who Confidential - a one-off live show to reveal the identity of the 11th Doctor - was the most-watched programme in its time slot, with 6.9 million fans waiting for the announcement. Smith, at 26, is the youngest man to take control of the Tardis since the sci-fi favourite was first broadcast in 1963. Few of the Doctor's aficionados will recognise the new Time Lord, but the actor is relishing the challenge of following in the famous footsteps of
distinguished predecessors like Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker and the current Doctor, David Tennant. "I've got this wonderful journey in front of me," said Smith, whose first episode will be broadcast in 2010.
"I've got six months to build this Time Lord and that's such an exciting prospect."
It's a time of dramatic change for the series with writer Russell T Davies, who revived the franchise, handing over to Bafta-award winner Steven Moffat, and Piers Wenger, head of drama at BBC Wales, being appointed the new executive producer.
Wenger has no doubt Smith is the man to fill Tennant's shoes. He said: "With two hearts, a ferocious mind and over 900 years of experience behind him, it's not every 26-year-old actor who can take on a role like the Doctor, but within moments of meeting Matt he showed the skill and imagination needed to create a Doctor all of his own." He may be a new face to many TV viewers, but the next Doctor has a CV that includes Alan Bennett's play The History Boys at the National Theatre in London, and alongside Christian Slater in Swimming With Sharks in the West End. Writer Moffat said: "The Doctor is a very special part and it takes a very special actor to play him."
He added: "As soon as Matt walked through the door and blew us away with a bold and brand-new take on the Time Lord, we knew we had our man."
Smith said: "The challenge for me is to do justice to the show's illustrious past, my predecessors and, most importantly, to those who watch it. I really cannot wait." He was well aware he had a hard act to follow. He said: "David Tennant has made the role his own, brilliantly, with grace, talent and persistent dedication.
"I hope to learn from the standards set by him." The identity of the new Doctor has been strictly guarded by the BBC since Tennant announced in October that he was to quit. Favourites for the role mooted in the media included David Morrissey, Catherine Zeta Jones and Martin Clunes. Four Dr Who specials featuring Tennant will run in 2009 into New Year 2010 before Smith appears on our screens. Tennant told the Doctor Who Confidential programme: "It's funny really, as I begin the end of my connection to all of this I do feel a bit of jealousy of Matt, who's kind of just about to start and has got all off this ahead of him and it's a very exciting journey to go on."
Caption: LEAVING: David Tennant
Disclaimer: These citations are created on-the-fly using primitive parsing techniques. You should double-check all citations. Send feedback to whovian@cuttingsarchive.org
- APA 6th ed.: Rayner, Tom (2009-01-05). Dr Who? You might very well ask. News Letter p. 11.
- MLA 7th ed.: Rayner, Tom. "Dr Who? You might very well ask." News Letter [add city] 2009-01-05, 11. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Rayner, Tom. "Dr Who? You might very well ask." News Letter, edition, sec., 2009-01-05
- Turabian: Rayner, Tom. "Dr Who? You might very well ask." News Letter, 2009-01-05, section, 11 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Dr Who? You might very well ask | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Dr_Who%3F_You_might_very_well_ask | work=News Letter | pages=11 | date=2009-01-05 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=21 May 2026 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Dr Who? You might very well ask | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Dr_Who%3F_You_might_very_well_ask | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=21 May 2026}}</ref>
