From the press: Feedback 11th Doctor Who

Bispham youngster Owen Mitchell donned a stripy scarf and took a walk down Doctor Who memory lane as the 11th incarnation of the charismatic time lord was revealed.

Sci-fi fans have been waiting with bated breath for many months.

But finally the secret came out as producers of the cult TV show announced young actor Matt Smith, 26, will follow in the footsteps of David Tennant and take control of the Tardis.

With many critics saying the floppy haired newcomer is too young to play a 903-year-old time traveller, opinion was divided in the resort.

Owen, 10, was in the Who store on Victoria Street looking at Dr Who memorabilia with his grandad Chris. He said: "I think the new Doctor looks OK. He looks quite a bit like David Tennant anyway with his long hair.

"I didn't like it at first when David Tennant took over from Christopher Eccleston, but I got used to it and I'm sure I'll get used to the new one."

Grandad Chris, 60, wasn't so sure and said: "I'm surprised they would get somebody so unknown in to such a high profile role. David Tennant is going to be a hard act to follow. Time will tell!"

Who store manager and seasoned sci-fi enthusiast Dave Simon was more optimistic about Smith's Sonic Screwdriver wielding ability.

He said: "At first I was a little bit shocked to see Smith. It's hard getting used to the idea of having a Doctor younger than me. I'm a lifelong fan and the Doctor was someone I looked up to as a child so it's a bit weird.

"I think producers have done it on purpose to bring the teenage girl demographic into sci-fi, I think he will get the mum vote too.
"He certainly looks quirky enough for the role."

Pam Hearsun, 34, was in with her children Leanne, nine, and Sam, six, who were buying Dr Who toys with their pocket money. Pam said: "I'm a big David Tennant fan so I'm probably a bit biased but he looks a bit young to me.

But the sci-fi show’s huge community of fanatical viewers yesterday gave a largely positive reaction to the potentially under-whelming unmasking of fresh-faced Matt Smith as the 11th man to play the 903-year-old Time Lord.

The identity of the new Doctor, who has questioning brown eyes, angular features and a flop of a fringe, was finally revealed on a special edition of Doctor Who Confidential on BBC One on Saturday night.

The former trainee footballer, from Northampton, will take over from 37-year-old David Tennant when he leaves the show at the end of 2009. His television debut was in the 2006 adaptation of Philip Pullman’s The Ruby in the Smoke, starring former Doctor Who companion Billie Piper.

But despite – and indeed, largely because of – his rather humble reputation, the announcement of Smith’s appointment was received warmly among the show’s online fans yesterday.

On the programme’s forum on the SciFi.com website, Mr Bryn wrote: “I was a bit worried when they said he was the youngest ever, but I’m really pleasantly surprised. As (executive producer Steven) Moffat says, he’s young but he also looks old at the same time.”

And Calibanz added: “I get the feeling that this casting is going to prove the right choice. I was hoping for a relative unknown without a fixed public image and the Moff has gone for that.”

Across on the forum hosted by the Kasterborous corr Online Magazine, atomickarma posted: “It’s a great piece of casting, you know, and I cannot wait to see what he does with it. His age came as a shock when I first got wind of him this morning, but I’ve eaten my hat, everything else is as it was, so bring it on!”

But the welcomes to the new Doctor weren’t all so gushing.

Funcho wrote pithily: “Too young! High School Musical in space!”. while Oldskool138 criticised Smith’s posture, adding: “The Doc’s supposed to have a commanding presence (even McCoy’s Doc had presence). This guy looks like he slouches into a room rather than one who’s trying to solve a problem and help people out.

“I’m not a huge fan of the question mark vest or technicolor nightmare coat but can we have the Doctor dress a little more eccentric rather than like he just walked out of a boutique. His clothes should be more Salvation Army than Rodeo Drive.

“And the dude’s too young. There, I said it and I’d say it again if I had to. Peter Davison was young but not as young as this guy. To me, it looks a bit like stunt casting.

“They have the old fans watching the show and their young kids but they don’t really have that 18-28 demographic.”

In Wales, the reaction among fans could best be described as cautious optimism.

Martin Hackett, a historian from Trewern near Welshpool, who has been a Doctor Who fan since the 1960s, said Smith seemed “incredibly young” to play the 900-year-old Time Lord, but added that it was too early to judge him.

“Tennant has such charisma and had established himself in Casanova before striking a rapport as the Doctor, so it will be difficult for anyone to follow him,” he said.

“A lot of names were mooted for the role, including Vic Reeves and Graham Norton, because it would take a big personality to carry off the role.

“I was expecting someone established like Don Warrington who played Phillip in Rising Damp.

“It will be hard to judge Smith until we see him.”

And Owen Jones, 18, from Cardiff, said it was odd to think that his hero is only eight years older than himself.

“It was quite a shock when I saw him and I was dubious,” he said.

At the show’s exhibition in Cardiff’s Red Dragon centre, few of the sci-fi show’s fans had heard of the young actor, Matt Smith, who will replace David Tennant later this year.

Llantrisant student Lowrie Kuiper, 18, said: “I’d never heard of him before.

“All I know is he is really young.

“Apparently there are groups on the internet saying they hate him already but you’ve got to give him a chance.”

Dinner lady Lynne Kirkby, 59, from Cwmbran, added: “I was a bit shocked.

“I didn’t expect anyone so young. But people will have to give him a chance.

“It’s difficult when you see any character doing something new.”

The show’s producers said they had been “blown away” by Smith’s audition to become the 11th Doctor and follow in the footsteps of much older stars including William Hartnell, then 55, Jon Pertwee, then 51, and Chris Eccleston, then 41.

Steven Moffat, the writer who is taking over from Russell T Davies for the next series, said: “As soon as Matt walked through the door and blew us away with a bold and brand new take on the Time Lord, we knew we had our man.”

Matthew Jones, 36, from Porthcawl, who helps run the Dr Who exhibition at the Red Dragon Centre, in Cardiff Bay, said he was excited.

“I think it’s exciting.

“It’s always interesting when they change the doctor because it’s a different personality in the role which is good.

“I still think a woman could be the doctor someday.”

School pupil Nia Hawyes, 17, from Cwmbran added: “I’d seen him before in the drama he did with Billie Piper.

“I think it will be a good transition to him from David Tennant.”

On the web, sci-fi fans were divided.

One wrote: “It’s a great piece of casting, you know.

“I cannot wait to see what he does with it.

“His age came as a shock when I first got wind of him this morning, but I’ve eaten my hat, everything else is as it was, so bring it on!”

But another said: “The Doc’s supposed to have a commanding presence.

But opinions on the BBC's choice for the Doctor were divided, with some branding the decision "brilliant" while others simply declared: "He looks like Frankenstein."

Several fans discussing the appointment on internet forum drwho-online.co.uk expressed disappointment that the little-known actor had been chosen to replace David Tennant.

One wrote: "Who can take this guy seriously in an Earth-shattering crisis? I couldn't – it would be a joke."

Some fans voiced concerns about his age and lack of experience.

But others were more supportive and urged sceptics to give him a chance – he will not appear in the role until 2010. One fan said: "What an inspired bit of casting! Matt Smith is a brilliant up-and-coming actor, just starting to really get noticed in the industry."