June 1st, 2013
479 comments
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Official – Matt Smith To Leave Doctor Who
Matt Smith To Leave Doctor Who
The BBC is today announcing that Matt Smith is to leave Doctor Who after four incredible years on the hit BBC One show.
Matt first stepped into the TARDIS in 2010 and will leave the role at the end of this year after starring in the unmissable 50th Anniversary in November and regenerating in the Christmas Special.
During his time as the Doctor, Matt has reached over 30 million unique UK viewers and his incarnation has seen the show go truly global. He was also the first actor to be nominated for a BAFTA in the role.
Matt quickly won over fans to be voted Best Actor by Readers of Doctor Who Magazine for the 2010 season. He also received a nod for his first series at the National Television Awards, before winning the Most Popular Male Drama Performance award in 2012.
Matt has played one of the biggest roles in TV with over 77 million fans in the UK, USA and Australia alone!
Matt Smith says: “Doctor Who has been the most brilliant experience for me as an actor and a bloke, and that largely is down to the cast, crew and fans of the show. I’m incredibly grateful to all the cast and crew who work tirelessly every day, to realise all the elements of the show and deliver Doctor Who to the audience. Many of them have become good friends and I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved over the last four years.
“Having Steven Moffat as show runner write such varied, funny, mind-bending and brilliant scripts has been one of the greatest and most rewarding challenges of my career. It’s been a privilege and a treat to work with Steven, he’s a good friend and will continue to shape a brilliant world for the Doctor.
“The fans of Doctor Who around the world are unlike any other; they dress up, shout louder, know more about the history of the show (and speculate more about the future of the show) in a way that I’ve never seen before, your dedication is truly remarkable. Thank you so very much for supporting my incarnation of the Time Lord, number Eleven, who I might add is not done yet, I’m back for the 50th anniversary and the Christmas special!
“It’s been an honour to play this part, to follow the legacy of brilliant actors, and helm the TARDIS for a spell with ‘the ginger, the nose and the impossible one’. But when ya gotta go, ya gotta go and Trenzalore calls. Thank you guys. Matt.”
Steven Moffat, lead writer and executive producer, says: “Every day, on every episode, in every set of rushes, Matt Smith surprised me: the way he’d turn a line, or spin on his heels, or make something funny, or out of nowhere make me cry, I just never knew what was coming next. The Doctor can be clown and hero, often at the same time, and Matt rose to both challenges magnificently.
“And even better than that, given the pressures of this extraordinary show, he is one of the nicest and hardest-working people I have ever had the privilege of knowing. Whatever we threw at him – sometimes literally – his behaviour was always worthy of the Doctor.
“But great actors always know when it’s time for the curtain call, so this Christmas prepare for your hearts to break, as we say goodbye to number Eleven. Thank you Matt – bow ties were never cooler.
“Of course, this isn’t the end of the story, because now the search begins. Somewhere out there right now – all unknowing, just going about their business – is someone who’s about to become the Doctor. A life is going to change, and Doctor Who will be born all over again! After 50 years, that’s still so exciting!”
Having starred alongside three different companions, Amy Pond (Karen Gillan), Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) and most recently Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman), Matt’s Doctor has fought Daleks and Cybermen, as well as Weeping Angels in New York. Regularly heard shouting ‘run’ and ‘Geronimo’, through Matt’s Doctor fans have been introduced to a new culinary combination – fish fingers and custard!
Matt’s spectacular exit is yet to be revealed and will be kept tightly under wraps. He will return to BBC One screens in the unmissable 50th anniversary episode on Saturday 23 November 2013 – TUNE IN!
Doctor Who is a BBC Cymru Wales production for BBC One
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GregV
June 2nd, 2013 - 5:19pmI read some speculation about an American Doctor. I’m an American and I don’t like that idea. The best thing about Doctor Who and BBC America in general is that it’s not an American show. It’s different and better than a lot of the junk on American TV. My fear is that some producer is going to think that the show could get a bigger US audience with a change like that. However, that’s the wrong direction because it would take away the most interesting part of the show for Americans. What do you think? Thanks, GregV
dalekste
June 2nd, 2013 - 5:04pmIf he just regenerated into a woman i wouldn’t watch it, but if there is some sort of reason, like river’s regeneration energy that she gave the doctor was female energy and that the next time he regenerated his cells would reconstruct him into a woman. but if he just changed into a woman from a man because time lords can magically change there gender when ever they regenerate now, then no i won’t watch the show.
Dalek: the Supreme
June 2nd, 2013 - 5:01pmCouldn’t have said it any better myself. We’ve had enough young Doctors for now, Moffat needs to cast someone in their 40’s who is NOT a woman. I have nothing against women, but gender switching is incredibly weird and disturbing, especially for a character who’s been around for so long as a male character.
Dalek: the Supreme
June 2nd, 2013 - 4:57pmI loved ’em all, though Series 6 could have been a lot better in places.
the mr master
June 2nd, 2013 - 4:49pmsimon pegg was the editor in the long game in series 1
the mr master
June 2nd, 2013 - 4:45pmi think he may have done it a bit too long
Some bloke
June 2nd, 2013 - 4:45pmben daniels?
Tardis’nt
June 2nd, 2013 - 4:44pmseries 7 was the worst matt smith one
the mr master
June 2nd, 2013 - 4:44pmi grew up with the 9th and 10th doctor and in my opinion nothing can beat them
i did not like matt but he was ok in series 5, series 6 was awful 7 was ok
i cant really think of aNyone to play number 12
greyzinychimp
June 2nd, 2013 - 4:41pmColin morgen played jefro in the episode midnight
The good dalek
June 2nd, 2013 - 4:11pmnick frost or pegg. all the classics from paul, hot fuzz and shaun of the dead
Anonymous
June 2nd, 2013 - 4:09pmThe Voice is beginning to turn into a good successful talent show though
Some bloke
June 2nd, 2013 - 4:05pmwhy does eveyone suggest him? HE WILL NEVER BE THE DOCTOR! It’s like when tom beker tried to do sherlock holmes after he left doctor who. It didn’t work, because he was still considered to be ‘The Doctor’ so if benedict did play the doctor (which he wont) then when people watch it, they wont say ‘oh look it benedict playing the doctor’, they’ll say ‘Oh look, its sherlock playing the doctor’, and that is NOT what we want!
Anonymous
June 2nd, 2013 - 3:57pmGoing by previous years i am pretty sure that he will be a white male under 40, and an actor that has up till doctor who been relatively unknown. i could be wrong though
the astronaut of death
June 2nd, 2013 - 3:53pmlist of people I would like to be 12th doctor
1. benedict cumberbatct
the astronaut of death
June 2nd, 2013 - 3:49pmmaby the bbc are having us on
the astronaut of death
June 2nd, 2013 - 3:48pmseries 6 was good
Gallifrey Driving Services Limited
June 2nd, 2013 - 3:31pmOne Of The Best Actors Benedict Cumberbatch
Very Flamboyant and would certainly bring Dr Who back to what it was.
Some bloke
June 2nd, 2013 - 3:26pmno not colin morgan! He’s already too well-known as merlin and, considering he played that part for 5 years and hasn’t really done anything since, I reckon he’s been typecast
Gallifrey Driving Services Limited
June 2nd, 2013 - 3:26pmLet It Be Benedict Cumberbatch.
Some bloke
June 2nd, 2013 - 3:24pmOMG!! Just looked him up, and he is AMAZING. If he is to be the twelfth doctor then I can happily (but sad at the same time) say good bye to matt smith. I WANT HIM FOR THE DOCTOR!!
Anon
June 2nd, 2013 - 3:20pmthree incredible years- series 6 was terrible
xylok emperor
June 2nd, 2013 - 3:20pmor brendan frasier
McGann is the Doctor
June 2nd, 2013 - 3:17pmI know what you mean, it’s weird feeling this way for a fictional character played by somebody I have never met, I guess it’s a testament to Smith :sob:
the next Doctor has to be somebody older.
Don’t cast another young guy, Matt Smith made you believe he was a thousand year old man with youngsters face, you can’t beat him at what he did.
McGann is the Doctor
June 2nd, 2013 - 3:15pmAs somebody who grew up with Matt’s Doctor (2010-present is when I became who I am, when the cement began to set, if you will) this news did not come lightly.
The only sparkle of light in this sad, disappointing news, is that they cast somebody great for the next part. Ben Daniels, let it be him ❗
McGann is the Doctor
June 2nd, 2013 - 3:13pmSadly, it appears he has the November episode, then the Christmas one and that’s it for him.
Still can’t believe this
doctorpond393
June 2nd, 2013 - 2:39pmthe bells of saint jude?
Some bloke
June 2nd, 2013 - 2:27pmHang on though, I’ve read that matt said recently that they (including him) will be filming series 8 late this year and will be broadcast next year. So is he leaving this christmas or the next?
Tardis’nt
June 2nd, 2013 - 2:14pmthere is a plus side – new title sequence (unless they change the face)
lepter
June 2nd, 2013 - 2:08pmwell, as I have previously posted, I suggested mat smith would regenerate in the Christmas special. now let’s see if the next part of my prediction is true. Richard E grant will be the next doctor. his image is part of the doctors time line. he has played the doctor already. its already a done deal in my opinion.