‘Doctor Who’ star Matt Smith on his excitement for the next Doctor

With Jodie Whittaker’s last season in the lead reaching its final episode this coming weekend, the Thirteenth Doctor’s era is approaching its end. Though we’ve still got three specials to come from Whittaker that’ll air across 2022, Doctor Who fans are already looking to the future, with speculation rife about who will replace her as Time Lord No. 14. It turns out the other Doctors are just as excited by what’s coming next, too.

While speaking to Looper, the Eleventh Doctor himself Matt Smith was asked for his thoughts about Whittaker’s tenure and where the show should go next. Though he admitted to not seeing much of the current era, The Crown actor praised Whittaker’s performance and expressed excitement that acclaimed showrunner Russell T. Davies is coming back to steer the series through the Fourteenth Doctor’s time in the TARDIS.

“I must confess, I haven’t seen a lot of Doctor Who of late, so I’m not really equipped to talk about that really,” Smith began. “But in terms of the new direction…I think it’s exciting for the show that Russell Davies is back. I think Chris Chibnall and Jodie did a wonderful job, but now it’s exciting to look forward to a new era under Russell, who I think is a phenomenal writer and particularly brilliant at delivering that show. I think he totally gets what it is, and I’m sure they’ll just choose a really exciting new Doctor. It’s always exciting to think that there’s a new Doctor coming.”

While Smith’s own tenure was overseen by Davies’ successor Steven Moffat, he did work with Davies during his guest spot on spinoff The Sarah Jane Adventures, so it’s no surprise he’s thrilled that he’s back on board the show. Obviously, fans are hoping that Smith himself could don his tweed jacket again at some point soon. Davies’ new era officially starts with Who‘s 60th anniversary special in 2023. The 50th was celebrated with a big multi-Doctor epic, so fingers crossed Davies has something similar planned on this occasion.

The good news is that Smith recently revealed he’d never rule out returning to the role that made his career, as he admitted he “always miss[es]” embodying such a versatile, eccentric character. Once 2023 rolls around, it’ll have been 10 years since he regenerated into Peter Capaldi, so it would be the right time for him to make a comeback.

Here in the present, though, Doctor Who: Flux comes to a conclusion this Sunday, Dec. 5 on BBC America.