Breaking news: David Tennant has announced at the National Television Awards that he's to step down as The Doctor after 4 years of starring in Doctor Who. The BBC has confirmed Tennant will complete the filming of 4 special episodes and 2009's Christmas special, before his character regenerates into the Eleventh Doctor."When Doctor Who returns in 2010 it won't be with me. Now don't make me cry. I love this part, and I love this show so much that if I don't take a deep breath and move on now I never will, and you'll be wheeling me out of the TARDIS in my bath chair."
"I think it's better to go when there's a chance that people might miss you, rather than to hang around and outstay your welcome. [It's been] the most extraordinary time; it's been bewildering, life changing, very exciting."
"And just so much fun, such a great show to work on. That's one of the reasons I think it's right to take a deep breath and bow out when it's still fun -- when it's a novelty. I don't ever want it to feel like a job, so I want to move on when it still feels exciting and fresh, and that means I'll miss it."
Let the rampant speculation over his replacement begin! Well, to be honest it began ages ago. The latest rumours have Paterson Joseph (Peep Show) as a frontrunner, despite the fact the actor has appeared in a previous episode of nu-Who. Adding some credence to the possibility, Joseph co-starred in Jekyll, which was written by Doctor Who's new showrunner Steven Moffat. If Joseph gets the job, he would be the first black Doctor in the show's 40-year history.
But this is all speculation and we're months away from any announcement. The question is: can David Tennant be replaced? Most fans hold him in very high-regard, and he's undoubtedly made the part his own after taking over from Christopher Ecclestone in 2005. Then again, Doctor Who has always been bigger than any one actor...
