Rachel - here's the link to last years press release..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2012/bbc-wales-announces-new-drama.html

I was gutted to hear that Matt is leaving the role at Christmas. Similar to when it was announced that Being Human was coming to an end; sharply disappointed at first and now just sad. Loved Matt, he's 'my' Doctor, or he was.

I have to admit that i'm happy and also a bit surprised at the level of support being shown online for Damien in the role. If it suited him, and he wanted it, his life would change beyond recognition. If he thinks the Being Human fandom was intense and passionate then the Who fandom is a whole 'nother level!. I would be over the moon if he landed the role, when i was talking to my long-suffering OH about it, he said to me "you'd love that" and yes i would but i was a Who fan long before i knew who Damien Molony was.

It would all depend on how the writer's envisage Twelve will be written. So part of me thinks, yeah, Damien for Doctor, because i love him as an actor and he's a phenomenal talent and another part of me thinks, maybe not. Like I said, it all depends on the writing. Heart in heart i'd like to see it happen but realistically i'm not going to get invested. He fits the criteria in that he's just starting out in his television career, Being Human was his first role outside of drama school and BBC casting bods like to cast relative unknowns in the role of the Doctor; both David and Matt were relative unknowns before being cast. He's also younger than Matt.

I also think Andrew Gower would be a good fit too. He has an edge of eccentricity that Matt has but can turn serious and heartbreaking in a heartbeat.

Can't wait to find out who Twelve will be.

i was a Who fan long before i knew who Damien Molony was.

 

I was a Dr Who fan before Damien was born!

I will be sad to see Matt go as he has been fantastic. I am in the #DamienForTheDoctor camp :D He would make a brilliant Doctor...or Master

rubyrosettared wrote:

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I'm veering between the #DamienforDoctor camp and not. I'm kind of conflicted.

On the one hand, it would be the role of an absolute lifetime for him and yes Domino, i remember him saying on the blog that it would be an honour to play the Doctor, whether he'd genuinely want the role or was just being polite is another matter entirely. The role would ultimately make his name worldwide.

On the other hand, if he were to get this and take it on, apart from the massive shoes he'd be filling (and let's face it, it's not like it hasn't happened before for Damien...Aidan Turner anyone?) the publicity behind the role will change life for him as he currently knows it in a massive way. I remember the amount of press and publicity Matt got, he was everywhere, what he wore, what he said, did and dated was all front page fodder. Would Damien be ready for that, would he be comfortable with it because compared to the Being Human fandom, the Who fandom is in it's own timezone completely. He wouldn't be as 'accessible' to us as he always seem to be, i can't imagine stage dooring him after a play if he's Twelve, could you? (We wouldn't get near him.)

So, like i said, on one hand, yes please, other hand, not really sure....so, conflicted.

-- Edited by rubyrosettared on Sunday 2nd of June 2013 07:57:31 PM

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 I feel the same way. I think it would be a great coup for him, but we would "lose" him too.  I went backstage when David T did Much Ado About Nothing  and it was totally mad. Makes our BH field trip of 20 people a small affair. And did anyone read John Simms interview in the Radio Times this week? Don't think it's done him any favours as I think he has alienated alot of his fans, but it did make me think about what Damien would do when fans came up to him in the shops or coffee bar.  I'm  thinking also of the way he reacted when we (Bloggers) went to to Royal Court Bar after we met him backstage.  He was there with his family and friends and didn't look too happy. 

As i said in the news and discussion forum, when his name was first announced, i was so disappointed and not because Damien didn't get the role. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he wasn't asked to audition in the first place.

I've heard of Peter Capaldi but haven't seen any of his work. He's an unknown quantity to me. But i've had time to think on it and while i still need to be convinced, i have faith in the Who production folk and their casting. Overall there seems to be a positive response to his casting. I shall wait and see. My husband made a comment to me about how many people were initially against Damien joining Being Human because so many people (including myself) loved Aidan and he reminded me of how i was vocal in my support of a then unknown actor, in that other people needed to give him a chance before judging him. So i'm taking that to heart too. I'll watch him and knowing me, i'll probably end up loving him. It all depends on how this new incarnation will be. We'll see.

I think they'll be able to write a wider range of stories because he won't be as slapstick as Matt is. I'd like to see stories lasting more than one episode as well; it was always a longer story arc in the old days and some aliens/ destinations have almost been wasted by only used for 45 mins!

domino wrote:

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So..peter Capaldi is the next DOCTOR. thoughts?

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 Haha - is this a trick question? I could just cut and paste all of my previous comments on the subject of Dr Who....

As soon as I heard his name mentioned in connection with the part (ok....as soon as I'd looked up the name and found out who he was!) I said yes....absolutely  - he'd be brilliant. 

I think this Den of Geek article just about covers what I think - and says it all so much better than I could....

http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/doctor-who/26732/a-few-thoughts-on-doctor-who-and-12th-doctor-peter-capaldi

I'm hugely excited by the fact that even though we know who has got the role...it's impossible to know what the 12th incarnation of The Doctor is actually going to be like - he could do anything with it!  But I am absolutely certain that he will be unlike any Doctor we have seen before.

One thing bothers me, though - the only criticism seems to be that he is maybe too old (old? when did 55 become old?) and that his age might put off younger fans.  I don't know whether to feel more depressed by the idea people believe that our youth are so shallow that it matters how old he is....or that this might actually be true.  I'm pleased to say that both my 16yr old son, and my 14yr old daughter - who are both Who fans - are perfectly happy with the choice.  For a start he's playing a Time Lord - the actor's physical age is, surely totally irrelevant...... But I can feel a rant coming on...so I shall say no more!

I'm relieved they went 'older' again and felt they had to as one way to breath fresh life into the show. Even someone who is only familiar with the newer incarnations are surely aware how many incarnations there have been and how 'old' some of them were! As big a contingent the teeny fans are, they're only the latest in a fan base that's, well, fifty years old.

Laura, snogging with Ten Inch? You tart!

I'm glad that they decided to go older. I was worried that they were going to choose a women to play the doctor.

I am very happy with the choice for twelve. I adore Capaldi, have done for years. I will have to get used to fancying the Doctor again though, thought i was over that when Tennant left. He's a fan of the show as well.