New Doctor Announcement Imminent

[RitaLittlewood]

From the BBC:

New Doctor to be revealed on BBC One tomorrow

Date: 02.01.2009
Category: TV Drama; BBC One

The BBC confirmed today that it will reveal the identity of the 11th Doctor as part of a special edition of Doctor Who Confidential to be aired on BBC One tomorrow, Saturday 3 January 2009, at 5.35pm (UK time).

Following the announcement in October 2008 that David Tennant would be stepping down from his role as the Doctor at the end of 2009, speculation has been mounting as to who would take over from him for the fifth series of this iconic BBC drama that will air in 2010.

With a new creative team in place for the new series led by Executive Producers Steven Moffat and Piers Wenger, the casting of the new Doctor was job number one to be completed before scripts could be finalised and shooting could begin in summer 2009.

In the Doctor Who special, to be aired tomorrow at 5.35pm, the actor playing the new Doctor will be giving his or her initial reaction to being the new, 11th incarnation of one of television's most loved characters.

Head Of Drama BBC Wales, Piers Wenger, said: "We are so pleased to have been able to cast this person as the new Doctor. We believe the actor is going to bring something very special to the role and will make it absolutely their own – I just can't wait to tell everyone who it is – it has been a nail-biting Christmas trying to keep this under wraps!"
Notes to Editors

There will be four Doctor Who specials featuring David Tennant that will run in 2009 into New Year 2010 (dates to be confirmed).

Doctor Who Confidential – The Eleventh Doctor, Saturday 3 January 2009, 5.35pm, BBC One.

The Doctor Who Confidential programme will be broadcast live on BBC Big Screens nationwide.

[Nick]

So they are going for the young teeny bop audience then.......if it carries on like this the next Doctor will be a teenager and the next a toddler

[RitaLittlewood]

I was thinking the same thing myself, Nick. It's getting ridiculous. They want someone who looks old, hire an older actor.

Patsy

[Deleted]

OK - well, at great risk to myself of upsetting many of you, I think the choice is fine.

I've seen Matt Smith in a couple of things, and his acting is very good. I also think he has a good look, and surely the guy should at least be given a chance, before any further criticisms are made?

Personally, I think people are far too anal and protective of Doctor Who.

For a show which was originally aimed at children, and for much of it's airtime was pretty rubbish, with dodgy scenery, even dodgier 'monsters', and some very questionable acting, people get extraordinarily uptight about it!

We all have favourite Doctors, and many of us have derided some of the storylines, continuity, acting (et al), but it's supposed to be a 'fun' show, not deep and meaningful drama.

The Doctors may change (and often for the worse), but so does the audience, and looking at other forums, most of the youngsters who watch the show love it, and surely they are now the target audience, not people who are old enough to remember the show as it was?

(Now running off to look for the nearest bunker)

[sallywebster]

Reading various other internet forums, I cant believe people's main concern is that they think he isnt good looking enough! Personally I think he is quite nice but surely the point is the acting not the eye candy? Lots of people probabaly watch it because they fancy David Tennant but personally I dont see what the big deal is (although I can see that he is attractive)

I agree BK we should give Matt Smith a chance - I havent watched most of this years series as was bored of Tennant but if its a new actor I will give it a go.

[Nick]

I never said i wouldn't give him a fair crack of the whip...just that the Docs seem to be getting younger and younger...I think it's time I regenerated lol

I hope Matt does do a good job,hopefully not doing the ridiculous gurning that tennant is always doing....I would like to see the Doc be a la Eccleston..slightly dark and serious

[Deleted]

;D

Good to see some positive feedback! (was expecting a serious backlash to my critique).

I totally agree about DT - I thought he started off well, but as time went on, he became a caricature of himself with his extraordinary facial expressions. That said, I thought he actually calmed it all down a bit for the Xmas Special.

Christopher Ecclestone was my favourite Doctor of all time, and, yes, I've watched it (on and off) from the days of William Hartnell.

I just don't take it that seriously.

[sootycat]

Wasn't Peter Davison near to that age when he took the role on. ?

I was quite surprised because to me he was a complete unknown.

I think I will see him as Doctor Who before I make up my mind about him.
Plus we have a fair while to get used to the idea.

[RitaLittlewood]

Peter Davison was also known at the time as 'that bloke from the vet programme' and that's when original viewing figures started to decline. Not his age but because it was crap.

Dr Who was a family programme and the original remit was to educate, which it did very well in the Hartnell era with the historicals. I was able to understand what the French film La Reine Margot was about due to The Massacre. It wasn't a children's programme and wasn't made by the children's department. It was the drama department.

No one is criticising Matt Smith. It the age. Many had high hopes for Steven Moffatt, what with him having more experience writing for DW than RTD who frankly did it for himself and turned out more arrogant than JNT. Steven Moffatt once ruled out ever having a younger Doctor, saying someone in their 40s. Yet in the piece from The Stage I posted a few months ago he'd done a U-turn. Of course we'll give him a chance and he may be very good. But let's face it, the Doctor is only as good as the stories. Maybe with RTD gone they will drastically improve and there'll be no more of this love bullshit. However it's worrying they're aiming at the youth market rather than general public. A friend of mine said afterwards Billie Piper's baby will be next.

Patsy