After serving four years aboard the TARDIS, Matt Smith has decided to leave his popular role on Doctor Who by the end of the year. The show is no stranger to recasting the iconic role, as Smith portrayed the eleventh incarnation of the character. In a press release Smith said, “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 realize all the elements of the show and deliver Doctor Who to the audience.” He closes his statement by thanking the fans and of course plugging the upcoming Doctor Who specials, “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 honor 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.”
Writer and producer Steven Moffat praised Smith’s portrayal and his own character in his own statement, “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. …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 opens the opportunity for eager actors who wish to fill the shoes of eleven men who came before them; the search for the next Doctor will undoubtedly draw much interest. Who will prove themselves worthy of the title?
