David Tennant has announced his decision to quit Doctor Who at the end of 2009.

The actor confirmed the news while collecting the award for 'Outstanding Drama Performance' at the National Television Awards.

"In January I go back to make four new specials which take Doctor Who through to the end of 2009," he said. "But when Doctor Who returns in 2010, it won't be with me. The 2009 shows will be my last playing the Doctor."

Tennant added: "If I don't take a deep breath now and move on, I never will. I think it's best I don't outstay my welcome."

His exit in the 2009 Christmas Special will coincide with the departure of executive producer Russell T Davies, who masterminded the cult show's revival in 2005.

Speaking after the announcement, Davies said he was "delighted" for Tennant. "We've known for a long while now.... Most of all, as a Doctor Who fan myself, we're just excited about the future now."

Asked who would be replacing Tennant in the iconic role, new exec producer Steven Moffat said: "You'll be hearing from us."

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/cult/a13408 ... nant-quits -doctor-who.html

Good.


I like Tennant (with some pretty major reservations, but the same is true for every other Doctor except Pat Troughton, and most of the really big problems I have with the current era aren't primarily down to Tennant), but he's right - three years is about the limit, any longer and you risk outstaying your welcome. Looking forward to seeing who Moffat ends up casting.

im still hoping for Jason Statham

I thought someone left The Who.

I hope it is a woman. At least for an episode. that would be funny.

Then David Tennant is dead to me.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xkZhAtjT8U[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDmQaZm_a3U[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAHhuDOB5Bo[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXRmpm0MEMY[/youtube]


Keep watching to the end.

(If you're short for time you can just watch the last bit, but trust me, the whole thing's enormously worth it).

I've got the VHS tape of that ep. Great stuff. I can't complain that Tennant's leaving. Even though he's stayed only three and a half years, what with specials, he's logged a lot of hours in the Tardis. It's no surprise he stayed longer than Colin, McCoy, McGann or Eccleston but he passed up Davison and came close to Troughton and Pertwees' on accumulated screen time. After only one year of Eccleston, we've really been treated right by Tennant. I can only wonder who they'll pick. The 2008 christmas special is titled "The Next Doctor" and features, for all intents and purposes another Doctor, complete with sonic screwdriver, companion, etc. Who knows?

I'll miss Tennant, but they've done a good job casting so far.. here's hoping!

I torrented that a bit ago, in my effort to get the complete extant Dr. Who. I thought Joanna Lumley was great, and i was surprised to see that she was Jessica Van Helsing in Satanic Rites of Dracula!!

Definitely. He did a good job in the role. I think with a new creative direction a new Doctor makes sense. Hopefully they are done with the companions becoming infatuated with the Doctor. That gets old quickly.

Simon Pegg

Of all the currently-rumoured candidates (and there are loads of 'em, all of varying degrees of plausibility), the one I'd be happiest with would probably be Paterson Joseph. He's a good actor, can definitely pull off the amiably-mercurial "otherness" which most of the great Doctors have managed, and for reasons which are obvious to anyone who knows who he is, he'll be sufficiently different from Tennant as to (hopefully) sidestep the worst of the weight of expectation/comparison which is bound to hit hard on the next actor to take on the role.

I am excited about this. Love Tennant, no question, but each new actor adds a bit and takes a bit. Maybe it's time for a geezer again, instead of a stud..

The Curse of Fatal Death, I need to find a copy........

I'd like to see an older Doctor again too but he'd have to be in excellent shape. From what I hear, it's a brutal, 9 month filming session for a season and even young, healthy, energetic guys like Tennant are exhausted by the end of a season. I can't imagine a William Hartnell making it through. Back in his day, they were filming almost all year round but each adventure would have at least one episode/week where the doctor wouldn't even be in it and the companions would be featured for that 22 minutes, so he got more breaks at the time. Plus, there's a lot more running now!

"The very first word I ever said to you...

"RUN"

...And we never stopped, did we?"

Oh no. Whomever are the Daleks going to fight now.