Who is the new Dr Who?

hey everyone

well, the rejuvenated Dr Who has managed to recreate the excitement of what happens as and when the actor playing the lead role decides to depart. who will be the new Dr Who has long been a popular question amongst TV fans, one perhaps on a par with the most famous of all, "who shot JR?".

Christopher Ecclestone was amazing as the first of the "new" Doctor Who series, and he looked a tough act to follow. thankfully, the magnificent David Tennant, known and loved by those of us who were taken with him in the brilliant series Blackpool, was a revelation in the part. taking a "now or never" approach, this fine actor has opted out of the role, leaving a big void to fill.

and who have they got to replace him? well, somewhat wisely seeing the massive expectations that would go along with a big, established star taking the part, the BBC have gone with he who you assume must have given the best audition and account of themselves - step forward the relatively unknown Matt Smith.

i had never heard of this lad, i must confess. he has a pretty impressive stage repertoire thus far (see below), and he certainly looks like he could do a fine job in the role - i mean, have a good look, he appears as some sort of intellectual cross between Denis Leary and Malcolm McDowell. that would be perfect for the role in my books!

casting the right lead role is half the battle - let's just hope that they give him as many decent episodes as the two actors before him. anyway, here's a bit from the BBC's biog of the lad, published to coincide with his announcement of the role.

Who on earth is Matt Smith?

Matt Smith has been named as the actor who will take on the role of TV's most famous time traveller.
He may be the youngest actor to play the Doctor, but Smith has already built up an impressive CV on stage and the small screen.

His biggest television role has been in BBC Two's political drama Party Animals (2007) in which he played parliamentary researcher Danny Foster.

He has also acted opposite Doctor Who star Billie Piper three times.
Smith's TV debut was in the 2006 adaptation of Philip Pullman's The Ruby in the Smoke, which starred Piper as Sally Lockhart.

He later reprised his role as Jim Taylor - the dogsbody at the Lockhart and Selby shipping firm - in The Shadow in the North (2007).
The actor's stage work has included stints with theatre companies such as London's Royal Court and National Theatre.

He is now following in the footsteps of one of the most popular actors ever to play the Doctor.

David Tennant has said Smith's "life is about to change in so many ways".
One of these will be getting used to the intense media and fan interest that comes with such a role.