Tell me, Whovians, are you excited? Are you? ARE YOU? Well, you better be because according to the BBC. Scottish actor Peter Capaldi was announced as the new Doctor Who.
The news of Capaldi’s ascension to the Tardis was announced on BBC One earlier today. According to BBC News, he was the favorite since Matt Smith’s retirement from the part was announced, so there are really no surprises here.
The Scottish actor becomes the 12th iteration of the Doctor, replacing Matt Smith as the outgoing number eleven. Capaldi joins a long line of thespians who have portrayed the time-traveling alien in a police box. The series started with William Hartnell back in the early 60s, through to the now famous versions of the Doctor played by David Tennant and Matt Smith. Given that the character regenerates on a regular basis, he’s been any number of visible ages, but most recently seemed to have grown younger and younger. That all changes with Capaldi, who’s 55 years old.
Peter Capaldi has a long and impressive career on British TV, most famously as the foul-mouthed Malcolm Tucker in The Thick of It. Americans who don’t follow the careers of British TV actors might remember Capaldi from In The Loop. He also appeared once already on Doctor Who in 2008, as well as on the spinoff show Torchwood.
Capaldi seems pretty excited about the new part, saying “It’s so wonderful not to keep this secret any longer, but it’s been so fantastic.” Indeed, Peter.
I for one am glad to know who the next Doctor Who will be, and equally glad that they have not gone for yet another younger, sexier version. Much younger and we would have been dealing with a teenaged Doctor. Capaldi is an excellent actor, and will continue to bring some much needed gravitas to the role of the Doctor.
What do you think of Peter Capaldi as the next Doctor Who? Let us know in the comments.