The New Who? He's More Of A Junior Doctor
- Publication: The Mirror
- Date: 2009-12-26
- Author: Charlotte Ward
- Page: 36
- Language: English
AS all Doctor Who fans know, it's time for the regeneration game.
Last night's Christmas Day episode of the BBC's long-running saga marked the beginning of the end for David Tennant's reign as the Time Lord.
And in less than a week, we'll glimpse the 11th and youngest ever Doctor, played by Matt Smith, 26.
But co-star Alexandra Moen - who plays Lucy Saxon, the wife of The Master - reckons Matt has his work cut out to even try and compete with housewives' favourite David.
"I don't know about Matt," she admits. "For me, it will always be David.
"Matt's too young. David is definitely my favourite Doctor. The thing about him is he's a genuine Doctor Who fan."
David, 38, is bowing out of the show for good in the concluding episode on New Year's Day. It marks the end of an era for the Scot, who scooped the role in 2005 and was voted the "best ever" Doctor by show fans.
Alexandra believes she knows the secret of David's incredible appeal.
She says: "David is genuinely interested in people. He also has a geeky charm and dry wit. He has this swoony effect because he is so approachable. He brings out your maternal instinct. Everyone loves him.
"When I got the part he called me straight away and said how excited he was I was joining the cast.
"He is a really caring person and such a hard worker."
Alexandra got to know David well when they co-starred in the stage play Look Back In Anger. She says: "He was such a Doctor Who fan before he got the part, it was slightly worrying. He used to tell us about how the show had such an impact on his childhood and his absolute dream was to play the Doctor.
"When the news broke that Christopher Eccleston was leaving we were doing the play together. The whole cast was like, 'Ooh David it could be you!' not thinking that it would be.
"He must have known he'd got it for two of those weeks, but he kept it secret."
Alexandra believes David will have found it tough to quit his dream role.
She says. "When we were filming there was definitely a sense of every moment being precious. It's been such a massive part of his life. He's leaving a show where they film for 10 months a year. Everyone lives in Cardiff and it's really friendly."
The show's departing producer Russell T Davies has told fans to expect tears during David's final scene when his Doctor regenerates and newcomer Matt Smith takes over.
"I warn you now, get your Kleenex out," Davies said on BBC Breakfast.
"We finished the episode and we were crying our eyes out. It's very lovely, powerful stuff. It's David Tennant at his absolute finest."
David himself has said: "It was an emotional finish... There was crying on and off screen."
The rest of the cast can't wait to see what happens. As Alexandra explains: "We weren't given the last three pages of the script. You were only sent your own scenes. It was very secretive."
She adds: "There have been so many Doctors and there's a lot of pressure, but Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant have shown that you have the licence to do your own thing. Matt could be amazing. There is a real buzz about him coming in. The good thing for him is he is kicking off with a new production team so everyone's keen to make their mark."
Alexandra, who previously starred in Hotel Babylon, will next be seen in horror film Not Alone, which is out in 2010. She jokes: "It's every actor's dream to be able to scream and die slowly, then wake up again with blood coming out your mouth!" She also hopes to work again with David one day, saying: "He's a very committed actor, a lovely person and he's also a lot of fun.
"I saw his wicked side when we were in Look Back In Anger. It's an actor's trick if you're on a long run to insert fish names at random intervals during the performance like, 'Oh my Cod!' "David was so good at that. I'd kind of forget the game and then suddenly David would say, 'That PLAICE on the corner' instead of 'That house..' "He once did it to me on stage. I had to turn away from the audience as I was shaking with laughter. I'd really love to work with him again."
PART one of Doctor Who: The End of Time will be repeated on Sunday at 7pm on BBC3. Part two follows at 6.40pm on New Year's Day on BBC1.
GRAPHIC: 1963-66 ORIGINAL Hartnell 2 1966-69 ODDBALL Troughton 3 1970-74 DAPPER Jon Pertwee 1974- ZANY Tom Baker 5 1982-84 SMART Peter Davison 6 1984-86 WEIRD Colin Baker 7 1987-89 WACKY McCoy 8 1996 COOL Paul McGann 2005 EDGY Chris Eccleston DEPARTING David Tennant REVELATIONS Alex spills the beans about Doctor David CRIMINAL MASTERMIND Alexandra as Lucy Saxon - wife of the Doctor's evil nemesis The Master (played by John Simm) DOCTOR NEW Matt Smith
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- APA 6th ed.: Ward, Charlotte (2009-12-26). The New Who? He's More Of A Junior Doctor. The Mirror p. 36.
- MLA 7th ed.: Ward, Charlotte. "The New Who? He's More Of A Junior Doctor." The Mirror [add city] 2009-12-26, 36. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Ward, Charlotte. "The New Who? He's More Of A Junior Doctor." The Mirror, edition, sec., 2009-12-26
- Turabian: Ward, Charlotte. "The New Who? He's More Of A Junior Doctor." The Mirror, 2009-12-26, section, 36 edition.
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