“Doctor Who?” has been the question on everyone’s mind since Matt Smith announced his departure from the long-running television series. Two months later, the public finally has its answer.
The BBC aired a live special Sunday, The Next Doctor, in which they revealed the actor who will be playing the twelfth regeneration of the Doctor himself: Peter Capaldi.
Rumors about Capaldi’s casting surfaced last week, though it was not confirmed until Sunday’s show, which featured interviews with past guest stars as well as the current Doctor, companion and show-runner.
The 55-year-old Scottish actor has appeared in numerous British television series, including The Thick of It, The Hour, Skins and Fortysomething. He has also had roles both on Doctor Who and its spinoff series, Torchwood, leading many fans to speculate about how these past appearances will influence his portrayal of the Doctor.
Capaldi’s first episode will be the 2013 Christmas Special, in which the Eleventh Doctor (Smith) will regenerate into his twelfth incarnation.
Smith had some words of encouragement for his successor, wishing him all the best and saying that he himself is excited about the casting. “Good luck, man,” he told Capaldi in a video message shown during the live special. “It’s gonna be a thrill.”
