[DigitalSid]

Matt Smith announces he is 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 23rd November 2013 - TUNE IN!

We’ll have exclusive quotes from Jenna on this site tomorrow and a special video from Matt - coming soon!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/doctorwho...ave-Doctor-Who

[Vanessa]

[DigitalSid]

Blogtor Who @BlogtorWho
BIG Doctor Who news coming up at midnight!

Yup, pretty certain now.

[Shaun]

not too fussed, the show's gone downhill. nonsense, "haha isn't he kooky" wackfest with worrying misogynist undertones.

[Roy Mars III]

hopefully they go older with the next Doctor. Matt Smith was better than the awful Tennant but the show was still no where near the original in terms of quality.

[Roy Mars III]

besides Smith is probably going to be in more movies now. He is starring in that Ryan Gosling movie that is filming right now

[Shaun]

Ecclestone is still the best of the newest shows.

[Roy Mars III]

agreed.

[Vanessa]

I liked Matt Smith.

[King Gizzard]

lol dr who

[Shaun]

lol entering dr who threads all the time to slag off dr who

bye nathan

[King Gizzard]

[DigitalSid]

Originally Posted by Vanessa

I liked Matt Smith.

I did, half gutted, half excited.

[Ninastar]

he has one of the most annoying faces i've ever seen in my life. i dont understand how people fancy him!

[Scarlett.]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[Scarlett.]

Originally Posted by Shaun

not too fussed, the show's gone downhill. nonsense, "haha isn't he kooky" wackfest with worrying misogynist undertones.

Blame Moffat for that, Matt has been brilliant as the Doctor.

[GypsyGoth]

He's the only Doctor I've watched, it'll be strange with him not in it.

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by Chewy

Blame Moffat for that, Matt has been brilliant as the Doctor.

true... but I still think he's a bit too... goofy. I guess.

He's a good actor, though.

[Roy Mars III]

Originally Posted by Nathan

lol dr who

go watch some Star Trek or something you dork

[Roy Mars III]

Originally Posted by Ninastar

he has one of the most annoying faces i've ever seen in my life. i dont understand how people fancy him!

he's better looking than Tennant who looks like a rodent

[Vanessa]

He's ok looking. I think Matt Smith has been a great Doctor and i will miss him.

[Tom4784]

It'll be a shame if he's leaving, he's been my favourite Doctor.

[Firewire]

I'll miss him when he leaves, I really do like him.

Although, he has signed on for an eighth series so he won't be leaving any time soon.

[Scarlett.]

Originally Posted by Shaun

true... but I still think he's a bit too... goofy. I guess.

He's a good actor, though.

Yeah, though I have noticed he's been less goofy as time has gone on, especially in the most recent series. I didn't like the Eleventh Doctor as much in season 5 due to the constant "I wear ____ now, _____s are cool" and the silly fez stuff.

[Ninastar]

Originally Posted by Roy Mars III

he's better looking than Tennant who looks like a rodent

i think david is waaaaay better looking.