There was a time when the announcement that Matt Smith was to become the Doctor broke from convention by being accompanied with an air of confusion. The previous incumbent, David Tennant, had been an instant hit with fans, but he was also approaching 40 and it seemed a little old to play a character who single-handedly saves the universe from Daleks, Reapers, Cybermen, Slitheen, Sycorax and the odd werewolf.
The brash and breezy British actor who plays the Time Lord has been a hit with audiences, with his blend of light-hearted humour and tormented, darker notes. But he has also become known for his innate charm and a boyish good-look that, at the age of 38, seems completely at odds with the man who is supposed to save the world from aliens and humans alike.
Smith has a lot going for him, with a slew of film and TV projects, including a role as the sexy vampire Count Dracula in the BBC drama Countdown. He has also starred in the film Womb and had a cameo in Terminator Genisys. He is close to Noel Gallagher, Britain’s unofficial president of plain speaking and has been trying to bring some Gallagher-calibre bluntness to his character.
This week Smith is taking part in the Children In Need telethon on the BBC and has been filming a sketch written by his Doctor Who boss Steven Moffat with co-star Karen Gillan. Here’s a test shot the BBC released of the pair from the shoot.
