Dr Who Junior
- Publication: Daily Mail
- Date: 2009-01-04
- Author: James Tapper
- Page: 3
- Language: English
BBC announces youngest-ever Doctor ... 877 years under age
A VIRTUALLY unknown 26-year-old who once had ambitions to become a professional footballer has been unveiled as the 11th Doctor Who.
Matt Smith will be the youngest-ever actor to play the 903-year-old Time Lord, in a casting move that caught most fans by surprise.
He said yesterday he was 'flabbergasted' to be picked to replace David Tennant, and 'hadn't slept' since being told just before Christmas.
He said: 'Doctor Who has the iconic status of Robin Hood or Sherlock Holmes and I'm taking that on. That's my responsibility and it's exciting. Nerve-racking, but exciting.'
Born and brought up in Northampton, Smith played football at the Nottingham Forest and Leicester City youth academies until a back injury at the age of 16 forced him to quit.
His drama teacher at Northampton School for Boys, Jeremy Hardingham, who got him his first stage role in 1999, remembers: 'He was so self-effacing he wasn't sure if he would be good enough. He wasn't enthusiastic, but he got the taste for it and was absolutely fantastic
'He had this ability to produce jaw-dropping moments. He had a fantastic professional attitude and versatility you can also see in David Tennant.'
Smith is probably best known for the BBC2 political drama Party Animals, in which he played researcher Danny Foster. He also worked with the Doctor's companion Billie Piper in the 2006 TV adaptation of The Ruby In The Smoke.
Smith will begin filming the new series in the summer, for transmission in spring 2010. That will give him time to win over fans, dubbed Whovians, some of whom were unenthusiastic at the news of the Doctor's latest regeneration.
One devotee who posted on the BBC's message boards said: 'Toddler in the Tardis! He is far, far, far too young. What is this obsession with going younger and younger?'
His new role is likely to make Smith something of a heartthrob, but the actor already has a girlfriend in Brazil, whom he met on a recent trip to South America.
Speculation about the new Doctor's identity had been feverish since Tennant announced in October that he was standing down. Black actor Paterson Joseph had been the bookies' favourite, while Billie Piper was also tipped to be the first female Doctor.
The BBC kept the actor's identity top secret until a special episode of its spin-off show Doctor Who Confidential last night. Only six people, including the actor and his agent, knew he had been cast. At a photo-shoot on Christmas Eve, even the stylist and photographer were not told what the picture was about, and the Tardis was digitally inserted in the background later.
The decision to cast Smith - who is three years younger than Peter Davison was when he signed up in 1981 - fell to executive producers Steven Moffat and Piers Wenger.
Moffat, who created TV comedy dramas Press Gang and Coupling, said: 'The Doctor is a very special part and it takes a very special actor to play him. You need to be old and young at the same time, a boffin and an action hero, a cheeky schoolboy and the wise old man of the universe.
'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.'
Piers Wenger, head of drama at BBC Wales, which makes the series, said: 'Within moments, Matt showed the skill and imagination needed to create a Doctor all of his own.'
David Tennant will film four special episodes this year, before making way for Smith.
In reality, of course, he's 903 years old ... but in
his latest incarnation he's just 26
BACK IN TIME: How old the other Doctors were when they first boarded the Tardis
CHRISTOPHER ECCLESTON (2005) Played the first Doctor of the new century in the revived series, but left after one season.
PETER DAVISON (1982-84) Previously Tristan in All Creatures Great And Small. Played the Doctor again in 2007 in a charity special.
COLIN BAKER (1984-86 The only Doctor actor to have appeared in the series as another character before taking over the leading role.
DAVID TENNANT (2005-10) Was voted Best Doctor by fans in 2006. A childhood devotee, he once said: 'Who wouldn't want to be the Doctor? I've even got my own Tardis!' Also played Barty Crouch Jnr in the fourth Harry Potter film.
WILLIAM HARTNELL (1963-66) First actor to play the Doctor. Known for his tendency to fluff lines. He died in 1975.
PATRICK TROUGHTON (1966-69) Many of the early episodes in which he appeared were wiped by the BBC. Died in 1987.
JON PERTWEE (1970-74) His Doctor was known for his penchant for action and fancy clothes. Died in 1996.
TOM BAKER (1974-81) The longest-serving Doctor, his flowing scarf made him immediately recognisable.P
WHO'S WHO: Matt Smith was last night. named the next Tardis occupant
SYLVESTER MCCOY (1987-89) Pictured with Mel (Bonnie Langford), in 2007 he played the fool to Sir Ian McKellen's King Lear for the RSC.
PAUL MCGANN (1996) Played the Doctor in the TV movie but never appeared in the role on screen again.
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.: Tapper, James (2009-01-04). Dr Who Junior. Daily Mail p. 3.
- MLA 7th ed.: Tapper, James. "Dr Who Junior." Daily Mail [add city] 2009-01-04, 3. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Tapper, James. "Dr Who Junior." Daily Mail, edition, sec., 2009-01-04
- Turabian: Tapper, James. "Dr Who Junior." Daily Mail, 2009-01-04, section, 3 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Dr Who Junior | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Dr_Who_Junior | work=Daily Mail | pages=3 | date=2009-01-04 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=24 April 2024 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Dr Who Junior | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Dr_Who_Junior | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=24 April 2024}}</ref>
