The BBC today dispelled rumours that James Bond actor Colin Salmon could be the next Doctor Who. A variety of stars have been rumoured for the role since David Tennant announced his departure last week. Speaking to TV.com today, a BBC spokesperson dismissed these reports, saying that, "a decision [about Tennant's replacement] won't be made until way into next year."
Speculation has been rife as to who will become the 11th Doctor and this morning, British newspaper The Sun reported that Colin Salmon, who previously starred as Dr Moon in the popular sci-fi show, was in talks with the BBC to be the next Doctor. The BBC spokesperson told TV.com, however, that they are "not confirming this at all." So far those tipped to be the 11th Time Lord include Tom Ellis, Joanna Lumley, Lenny Henry, Billie Piper, and Stephen Fry.
David Tennant, who first appeared on Doctor Who in 2005, announced his departure by live video link at this year's National Television Awards, saying, "When Doctor Who returns in 2010, it won't be with me." The BBC confirmed that Tennant "will continue to play The Doctor in the four specials that will make up the 2009 series, before a new Doctor takes over for Series 5."
"I'm still the Doctor all next year but when the time finally comes I'll be honoured to hand on the best job in the world to the next lucky git--whoever that may be," Tennant said at the NTAs.
Tennant will also make a guest appearance as the Time Lord on next week's Children in Need charity appeal on the BBC and will star in Doctor Who's Christmas special next month.
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He has been excellent and will be really missed.
Yes, we do indeed want to keep to the tradition. Isn't that why Tennant dropped his Scots accent to keep up with the British personality of the Doctor? Shouldn't all things pertaining his basic and ongoing personality be considered?
Sexism and racism no just people who like the show and feel the tradtion should not be mest with
Sexism and racism are apparently unabashedly alive and well. I can remember when David Tennant was first announced as the new Doctor and there were all these protests of how he was too young to be the Doctor. If the Doctor can go from being a cantankerous old man who lets a school teacher handle most of the action to a relatively young guy in gym shoes and a trenchcoat, there's no reason the Doctor couldn't be Black or a woman.
Colin Salmon's been in it, no thanks! Unless he can make a dramatic transformation himself.
Just a quick note to Akinaria, if you have watched it all, you will have seen Romana select a new body, after going through a few, including a black one and a blue non-human type. So there's already a precident for time lords being able to regenerate with a different coloured skin. It's not about heritage, it's just a regeneration into a different form.
Why David? WHY??? Hope its not a woman though...not sure why...just wouldn't really be the same...
BBC have totally screwed Doctor Who..woever comes next wont ever be as good as David... so i wont be bothered to watch it in 2010, unless David decides he wants to come back....i bet u the BBC forced him to quit or something...
I'm sad to see him go. He's my Doctor and I'll miss him in the role. I had hoped we'd get one more full series with him, but I thought maybe not as time went on and he didn't say he was going to be there in 2010. I'll still be watching the show, though. Switching actors is part of it. I'm not sure who will be in the role next, but it probably won't be any of the people everyone is speculating that it's going to be. I think David Morrissey would be an excellent choice, but I don't expect it.
Make it a woman this time! DO EEEEEET
I think drum bangers have no place in casting. The role should be cast according to ability and what they can bring to the role, NOT pitching some overblown feminist rubbish or absurd and offensive racial casting. The Doctor is white and male. He can change his face, not his heritage and gender - the regenerations use different recessive and dominant elements of his DNA. It can't make him black or female and it should not either. I will stop watching (and I have seen every surviving episode) if they do either of these things. However, I do not think that they are juvenile enough to pander to drum bangers - they create great stories and will focus upon that. I would suggest Rhys Ifans, Jack Davenport, Sam Troughton but not the gay teenager that Davies wants JUST because he's gay Several former Doctors want Eddie Izzard and I can see their point but I think someone like Troughton or Ifans would be better.
Ok it's never going to happen, but Colm Meaney or Patrick Stewart could each rock the house in different ways as the Doctor. Maybe it's time for an Aussie Doctor with Wayne Pygram. Hell if we need a woman time-lord, we have one -- the Doctors new daughter.
If people so badly want a female Doctor, then the BBC should know what to do: bring back Romana. She'd work, I guarantee it. A way of having a companion who changes as often as the Doctor. That way, we'd have two constant characters, but never the same personality for either one. Honestly, it's just common sense. Plus, if people are unsure of the idea of a black Doctor, simply 'create' a new Time-Lord. Everyone else seems to have survived the Time War... Plus, John Simm would be an awesome Doctor. It just won't happen because of his fear of being type-cast, and the fact that people would get confused simply because he played the Master...
i dont think a girl doctor would go down too well...well it would depend on the person.
I'm not surprised he's leaving, after so many rumours about the BBC looking for the new Doctor over the past year or so, I would have taken the hint and quit too. I'd rather have a female Doctor than put up with some of the others who have been touted for the role, like James Nesbitt or Jon Simm. Rhona Mitra would be brilliant, IMHO, but not another 'comedy' star, we've had everybody from League of Gentlemen and every other once trendy BBC show in guest spots already, including Catherine Tate, we need a decent actor or actress to play the lead!
What ever they do it must not be a woman it would destroy the Legend that is Dr Who. On another note Tom Baker played the Doctor for Seven Years.
Hamster for Dr. Who! lol.
I would not want a woman as the Doctor. It would change the dynamics of the show too much. Aside from that, as long as the powers that be choose wisely- I will be ok with it.
I knew he was leaving, I just knew it... with all the changes at BBC Wales, with Russell T Davies leaving, and Stephen Moffat stepping in, I could just tell that David would be out. I'm so pissed!!! They need to find someone seriously awesome to replace him, or it just won't be worth it to continue to watch. Man... first CT and now DT... this just sucks!!!
He was a great Doctor. The new one has pretty big shoes to fill.
ok if they make Dr Who a girl i will turn off and as for any of these Joanna Lumley, Lenny Henry, Billie Piper, and Stephen Fry. they would kill it of Dr who needs to be an actor of great talent and not a comic that has never worked out and would be a huge step back ifv they did try to take that road. i think some one like Rupert Penry-Jones who played Adam Carter in spooks wood make a great Dr.Who.
All good things must come to an end. To be honest, I think that most of us were expecting Tennant to step out this past year, since no actor had played The Doctor for more than three series (with the exception of Tennant, of course). A fourth series with Tennant playing The Doctor is more than what we deserve.... just as long as we figure out how he irks Elizabeth I....
I hope the show survives without him... It might be good to see a woman as The Doctor. I just don't want Billie Piper in it any more. I'd like to see someone odd like Kris Marshall from My Family and Murder City. I think he'd do a great job!